Dave Berry has officially reopened Tapton Lock Visitor Centre at the Tapton Lock Festival, organised by Junction Arts.
Chesterfield Canal Trust has stepped in to reopen the centre after its closure in May and has taken out an initial nine-month licence to run the centre, owned by Derbyshire County Council. The centre is now open daily.
Jill Hardy, who runs the Visitor Centre for the Trust, said: “We are very grateful to Dave for coming to officially open Tapton Lock Visitor Centre. I’m delighted to announce that we will now be open every day, except Christmas Day. Please come to visit us, find out more about the canal and try some of our lovely coffee!”
Dave Berry is famous for his many classic hits from the 1960s, like The Crying Game. He lives locally, in Dronfield, and first made contact with the Chesterfield Canal Trust many years ago after taking his granddaughter on a Santa Special cruise. He was impressed by the work of the volunteers and decided to help.
He is the Chesterfield Canal Trust’s Restoration Ambassador. He once cycled the full length of the canal, raising several hundred pounds in sponsorship for the Trust. He has spoken at a Supporters’ Group meeting and is often to be found walking or cycling along the canal.
The Chesterfield Canal Trust is restoring the canal at Staveley thanks to funding from the Staveley Town Deal.
In the next few months, a new lock, a pumping system and several hundred metres of canal will be built. In addition, nearly two miles of towpath will be restored all the way to Renishaw.