A major £2 million make-over of a popular park is almost complete, with the playground now open and the historic bandstand restored.

The new café at Ellington Park in Ramsgate is also now welcoming customers for a trial period.

The ambitious scheme has been led by Thanet District Council and Friends of Ellington Park and includes a total refurbishment of the play area, bandstand, landscape and a new café and toilets.

Cllr George Kup, cabinet member for community safety and youth engagement, says it has been a long-term project and it is wonderful to see all of the plans coming to fruition.

"It has been exciting to see the changes and the great work that can be achieved through strong community partnerships," he said.

"The new café and updated playground reflect the desire of the local residents who were consulted on these plans from the outset.

"The bandstand provides a wonderful focal point for the park and it is really exciting to see such an iconic feature within Ellington Park restored to its former glory.

"This is a major milestone in the park’s regeneration journey."

The café, run by the Friends of Ellington Park, seats 36 indoors and is located centrally on the terrace.

It has been designed with the environment in mind and is rated within the top 1.7% of England's non-domestic buildings when it comes to efficiency ratings.

Beverly Perkins, chair of the Friends group, said: "Achieving such an ecologically successful design for the café is a great credit to everyone involved – the design team, Thanet District Council, and the Friends.

"To continue this ethos, the café will source food and drinks locally and operate no plastic and limited waste policies."

The new play area boasts balancing beams, a seesaw, climbing frames, swings and climbing rocks.

It has been designed with natural, sustainable materials which are in keeping with the landscape and ethos of the park.

The old play area will be removed and some items reused, where possible, across the district.

The 120-year-old Victorian bandstand was restored by specialists Lost Art and kept under wraps until the major work of the café and landscape was completed, to prevent damage.

The remaining landscape works will continue for another couple of months and include new heritage stone balustrades, boundary fencing, planting, interpretation features, a new website and signs.

The café will continue to operate during this period and some events will be taking place.

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