A multi-million pound cafe has announced it will be opening in Spring after twice being delayed.

The £2.5 million Mote Park cafe in Maidstone has been under construction for more than a year and a half.

Despite the cafe looking like it is ready to open, Maidstone Council has said that an "internal fit" is still needed.

Work first started in June 2021 – with the former mayor of Maidstone Cllr Fay Gooch and Cllr David Burton launching the construction.

The facility is set to include indoor and outdoor seating, a flexible space for learning, a meeting area for schools and community groups to hire, as well as new larger modern toilets with a specially-adapted larger space for the disabled.

It will also have improved landscaping and surfacing on the path to the car park, where increased bicycle parking will be installed.

Maidstone's very own England Lioness and Euros winner, Alessia Russo, will be honoured by having her own room in the building.

The project was initially supposed to be completed last summer but was delayed.

Fast-forward to October, and the opening was pushed back again – with it being predicted to open in the New Year.

At the time a spokesman for Maidstone council said: "The works on Mote Park commissioned by the council, and being constructed by BBS Construction, have three elements: a new estates services building situated close by to the leisure centre; the new visitor centre and toilets; and the new cafe building.

"All three facilities are expected to be complete by the end of November.

"Once the cafe is completed, however, the café operator who has taken the lease on the building will need to complete their internal fit-out to include their commercial kitchen, and so it is envisaged that the cafe will not open to the public until the New Year."

The old cafe has already been demolished and a temporary kiosk nearby is currently serving hot drinks and food.

It is believed that the kiosk outside will eventually be moving into the new building.

The new toilets are already open to the public but were closed last weekend, allegedly due to a problem with water pressure.

Speculation of the cafe's opening was posted in a local Facebook group, with many people commenting on how long it has taken to open.

The initial post said: "Been gasping for a cuppa and a slice of cake for nearly two years. The lights are on but no one’s home. Opening soon?"

One person commented: "When I saw the photo I thought surely that cannot be the Mote Park building...it's a factory unit!

"Who could ever think that looks good or appropriate? Ridiculous. And as many have said already, no windows and no view.

"No point in it at all. Ugly, detrimental waste of money."

Another said: "Looks awful and so out of place in such a beautiful natural park."

However, others were excited for it to open, saying: "When the shutters come up it’ll look great! I hope there’s going to be loads of good seating outside!

"It’ll look lovely if they place planters outside with lavender or long grasses to soften the impact. I like it!"

Last October, KentOnline spoke to John Oliver, a regular user of the park who lives nearby in Coverdale Avenue.

The 86-year-old previously said that he felt like he wouldn't live to see the opening, due to it taking so long.

Speaking again after more progress has been made, he said: "I’m beginning to think that’s true! It’s been a long time.

"All that money being spent in the park, I don’t know why they didn't put some of it towards other issues in the town."

"I went out last weekend and did go past the cafe," he added. "There’s been a bit of progress, I can see they have been turfing the area.

"The temporary kiosk is still running, although it was very muddy.

"It’s a nice and smart building, they have done quite well.

"However, I think with a bit of an imagination, the cafe that was previously there could have been altered and improved instead."

A spokesman for Maidstone council: “The tenant’s internal fit out of Mote Park Cafe is due for completion in early March, which will then enable the cafe to open to the public in time for Spring.

"An official opening will then be arranged for a later date.”