Crow Nest Park Café, dubbed the ‘Cultural heart of Dewsbury West’ by local independant councillor Tanisha Bramwell has been closed for years as a result of underfunding, she told followers in a video on Facebook.

In the video, she talked about how in the Kirklees Council Budget 2025/2026, the independent amendment which prioritised Dewsbury Sports Centre, Crow Nest Park Café and other assets in North Kirklees was voted down.

Another local councillor Ammar Anwar said that ‘‘Kirklees are yet to respond to calls from me and councillor Bramwell to reopen the café.’’

When asked about why this café was so important to them and the community, councillor Anwar said ‘‘The café was the heart of the park and a cultural hub of Dewsbury West.’’

Deeper questions have been asked of Kirklees Council, who have made it clear that they don’t have the funds to support Dewsbury Sports Centre.

Dewsbury Sports Centre had been used by hundreds before it was closed down, and alongside the café, were not in the latest budget approved by the council.

The Labour budget was rejected, before a tory amendment to it was accepted and supported  by the Labour party, according to councillor Anwar and has been called a ‘backdoor deal between labour and the conservatives’ by councillor Bramwell.

Councillor Anwar has called on Dewsbury and Batley’s MP to push for the government to step in, as he believes that ‘Kirklees Council have made it clear that they can't support Dewsbury Sports Centre.'

He has said that the councillors and campaigners will need to see where the petition to reopen the café leads to, in order to make progress.