VIDEO: Coffee shop plan for Castletown cottage

A DERELICT cottage in Castletown is set to be transformed into a replica 1930's cottage with a coffee shop under plans being progressed by the local tidy towns committee. The plans would also see a Men's Shed developed on part of the site, which is located on the looped walk in the village.

Cllr Eugene Cassidy has been working with Castletown Tidy Towns on the plans, which he says would be a fantastic amenity on the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway.

The old house is owned by Meath County Council and Cllr Cassidy said the Council is willing to enter into lease agreement so they can develop the proposal. He outlined that they intend to restore the old house to a 1930's style house with a thatched roof and to build a new cafe beside it, which would be linked to the old house by a corridor.

The idea is that the seating area for the cafe would be in the restored house. "The house will be done up as if in the 1930's. I saw something similar in Ardara in Donegal and it was fabulous. Further down on the site then we would be creating a men's shed with some parking as well, to serve both the coffee shop and the men's shed."

It is currently at the design stage but Cllr Cassidy said they hope to lodge a planning application in the coming weeks and anticipates that it will take about 18 months to be complete. "It will be great for people out walking the local loop and by the time it is open, the greenway should be up and running and people can drop in for a coffee. You need these amenities along the greenway."

He also said there is a lot of interest locally in setting up a Men's Shed, but there was no location suitable in Castletown. "This would be the ideal location. We have to go in for planning next and get all the agreements sorted and then we should be ready to make an application for funding under the Town and Village scheme in the summer.

"This a very exciting project. It will transform the village and serve the local loop but also the greenway. It will be a major attraction and amenity for the village of Castletown."

A stretch of the Boyne Valley to Lakelands County Greenway has been developed in Castletown and the cottage is just at the end of it. When the greenway is further developed towards Navan, it will pass the proposed coffee shop and Men's Shed. Meanwhile, the tender process for the section of greenway linking Nobber and Castletown is nearing completion. Cllr Cassidy said a contractor will then be appointed and he is optimistic that works will be carried out this summer to join the two loops to create a 10km greenway.