Part of Chesterfield attraction could be turned into cafe

Derbyshire County Council is planning to turn the downstairs shop area of Tapton Lock Visitor Centre into a cafe.

The proposal would generate much-needed cash for the Conservative-led council, which needs to make £12million in savings over the next year amid ongoing Tory austerity.

A council spokesman said: "We are looking at the potential for turning the downstairs shop area into a cafe.

"It's still early days and nothing is set in stone.

"But we're considering our options to make the site more commercially attractive and help bring in income as part of our move towards becoming an enterprising council."

Earlier this year, councillor Barry Lewis, leader of the council, said: "The role and shape of public services has changed dramatically and we face significant challenges in providing the services local people want and need.

"What we need is an ambitious plan for the future, focused on getting the best results for our residents, whether that's by the council delivering a service itself, or by an external organisation.

"We need to be bold and innovative and have a commercial mindset."

Since 2010 - which is when the Conservatives' austerity programme started - the council has slashed its budget by £200m.

The council describes Tapton Lock Visitor Centre as a 'great place to start exploring the Chesterfield Canal and Trans Pennine Trail southern link'.