A NEW café at a recreation ground could stay open to 10pm due to popular demand.

The café at Colchester’s Old Heath Recreation Ground opened earlier this month after being converted from a former tennis pavilion.

It was funded by developer contributions and is run by GO4 Enterprises, a group which aims to provide work, training, and support for people not in employment, education or training.

Plans have been lodged with Colchester Council for the café to open for an extra two hours on weekdays and Saturdays.

The café has to close at 8pm but Colchester Council, which has lodged the application to its planning department, says this is proving restrictive.

The application states: “GO4 Enterprises has been contacted by community groups; a ukulele ukele music group, dog walker group, supervised youth group and a detached youth workers group, all of which have expressed an interest to use the premises for a variety of meetings, events and activities."

“GO4 would like to make the premises available for poetry, craft and self-help groups and any other groups that would like to use this community facility in the future.”

Colchester Council aims to decide on the plans by July 18.

No outside amplified music would be allowed to be played at the cafe unless special permission is given by the council and could only take place 12 times a year.