Centenary Lounge Opens On Leamington Spa
Amey TPT | 08 August 2022
From mid July 2022, Centenary Lounge opened their doors to an art deco Café/Bar on Chiltern’s Leamington Spa Station. Leamington Spa Station is a grade II Listed Building and the unit was a previous 1930’s GWR café with wooden cladding, an open fireplace and mosaic tiles, which had been overlaid with wood.
Centenary Lounge, who also have a GWR themed unit at Birmingham Moor Street Station, were awarded a tenancy of the unit. It was all systems go to get them open and trading for the start of the Commonwealth Games starting on 29 July.
Centenary’s Managing Director Aasia Baig, took up the challenge and engaged with the Friends of Leamington, the Local Planning Team and the Heritage Trust to understand what could be achievable, given the tight constraints. A substantial fund was awarded from the Railway Heritage Trust and a complete renovation was undertaken to restore the unit to its former 1939 glory.
Centenary’s Founder/Managing Director, Aasia Baig said "The original interiors of the cafe on platform 2 at Leamington Spa station inspired the birth of Centenary Lounge in Birmingham Moor St Station in 2009. So, as you can imagine, we were delighted beyond words when we received the news that we had secured the unit - We have come full circle! Thank You Chiltern Railways.
We have fully restored the unit to its former 1939 glory with the help from the Friends of Leamington Spa Station and grant funding from Railway Heritage Trust. Our aspirations are to make Centenary Lounge at Leamington Spa Station a destination of choice for the discerning traveller where they can enjoy an Express Afternoon Tea or a light lunch, whilst for the regular commuter this is the perfect refreshing spot to enjoy a coffee or even a cocktail!”