Fort Gilkicker: Plans lodged for café and visitor centre
Plans have been unveiled for a new café and visitor centre at an historic fort
A historic coastal fort could gain a new café, visitor centre and display made from one of its last remaining historic iron shields.
Plans submitted to Gosport Borough Council propose converting an old general store at Fort Gilkicker into a café and interpretation centre, with space for community events and heritage displays.
The scheme would form part of the continuing regeneration of the 1860s fort, which is Grade II-listed and a Scheduled Monument.
Under the application, the single-storey brick store building would be fitted out with a café servery, seating, an interpretation area, artefact display, accessible toilet, and a function or community space.
Visitors could buy hot drinks, pre-prepared food and light refreshments, although applicants said it would not be a full restaurant.
The plans also include a new home for the site’s final remaining historic iron shield. The shield would be carefully removed by specialist contractors before being reassembled inside a new framed display case beside the proposed café.
The applicant, Gilkicker Fort LLP, said this would ideally be done in one piece, but could happen in up to six sections. Planning documents said placing the artefact near the café would mean it could be seen by visitors using the heritage centre, people walking on nearby coastal routes, cyclists, and residents.
The applicant said the building could act as a welcoming public entrance point, separate from residential accommodation proposed within the main fort. They argue that combining refreshments with interpretation would encourage people to spend longer at Fort Gilkicker and learn about its history.
A heritage statement supporting the scheme said: “The proposed café is not intended to operate as a destination restaurant or standalone retail facility.”
Instead, the facility would provide “modest visitor facilities” for people using the fort and nearby open space and coastal paths, while helping to improve “public appreciation of the nationally important site.”
The application said: “The change of use of the general store to a cafe with interpretation centre, together with the adjacent free-standing iron shield display installation, is a measured and conservation-led proposal for a curtilage-protected outbuilding within the setting of Fort Gilkicker.”
The existing slate roof, clay ridge tiles, brickwork, stone sills, timber louvres and sash windows would be retained and repaired under the proposals. The council has not yet made a decision on the application.