Waterside House Campsite, located on the southeastern shore of Ullswater in the Lake District, has submitted a planning application to replace its temporary café with a permanent structure.
The proposal, submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority and validated on May 19, outlines a purpose-built facility to serve visitors at the established camping and caravan park situated between Pooley Bridge and Howtown.
According to documents supporting the application, the campsite currently operates a ‘pop-up café’ housed in temporary containers and timber lean-to structures.
The owners of the site are seeking to replace the existing facility with a more permanent and functional café building positioned along the northeast elevation of an existing agricultural shed.
“The long-established farm-based campsite is located at Waterside House on the South Eastern shore of Ullswater midway between Pooley Bridge and Howtown,” the application states.
“Due to the popularity of the lakeshore campsite at Waterside House, the existing ‘pop-up café’, which is currently housed in an untidy arrangement of temporary containers and timber lean-to structures, has become not fit for purpose and is unsightly.”
The proposed café would operate seasonally from March through November, with opening hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
It would be built on the current site of the temporary café, situated near the well-used Ullswater Way public footpath.
According to News&Star, the consultation process now underway will determine whether the plans can proceed.
For business owners in the outdoor hospitality and caravan industries, the move highlights a broader trend toward improving guest-facing amenities to enhance visitor experience and respond to increased footfall in popular tourism areas.
The shift from temporary to permanent infrastructure reflects both a desire for long-term site improvement and a recognition of the economic potential associated with strategic upgrades in guest services.
The outcome of the consultation will be closely watched by regional operators interested in how planning authorities balance development with environmental and visual considerations in protected areas such as the Lake District.