A former deputy leader of Carlisle City Council has said that Cumberland Council are ‘papering over the cracks’ with their plans for the lodge in Bitts Park.

Local artist, Lydia Leith, has been commissioned to spruce up the exterior of the Bitts Park lodge which has lain empty for a considerable amount of time.  

The artwork is to improve the look of the building on the outside while the long-term plans for the site are being looked into, according to Cumberland Council.

But former city councillor, Elsie Martlew has now suggested the new authority has shown a ‘lack of forethought’.

Elsie has long campaigned for the repurposing of the park lodge and held a demonstration outside the building in November 2023.

“What they are doing is an insult really,” said Mrs Martlew.

“What the council should be doing is pulling their finger out, doing some remedial work and having good plans for the lodge to preserve it for future.

“Instead, they’ve developed some plan to invest as little money as possible into the lodge.”

The artwork on the outside of the park lodge is being planned alongside the repurposing of the Tribe Carlisle site by the council.

The site opened in 2021 to great acclaim and despite a successful opening year, the operating company - Tribe Community Interest Company (CIC) - entered voluntary liquidation barely a year after opening.

The former operator, Joe Gardham, was contracted to run the site by the former Carlisle City Council upon its opening and the site has lain mostly empty for the past two years.

After the 2015 floods, plans were drawn up to develop the lodge into a permanent facility for park users, including a cafe/bistro and public toilets, but plans did not develop further, and Mrs Martlew has called on the council to provide a ‘future’ for the building.

“What they are doing is simply papering over the cracks and putting their head in the sand,” said Mrs Martlew.

“The lodge is at the heart of the biggest children’s play area in the city and a café there would be a great investment.”

Mrs Martlew did praise the end of the Tribe and called on the council to ‘do more’ for Bitts Park.