A £5 million restoration of a Hackney park has seen a new café and community room open.

The grade-II listed chapel in Abney Park, a garden cemetery in Stoke Newington, has had new stained glass windows and seating fitted as part of the restoration.

Strep-free access and improved pathways have also been created to make the park more accessible.

Abney Park Café, which is run by Sabel Food and can be found at the park’s main entrance, opened its doors to customers for the first time this month.

Abney Park chapel has had new stained glass windows fittedAbney Park chapel has had new stained glass windows fitted (Image: Suzanne Mitchell/Hackney Council)

The café features a green roof, and new lawn and grassland meadow areas have been introduced nearby as part of the work.

The £5m project was carried out with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund and Hackney Council, and support from volunteer-led charity Abney Park Trust.

Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley, with Tom Walker, chair of Abney Park TrustMayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley, with Tom Walker, chair of Abney Park Trust (Image: Hackney Council)

Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley, said: "It was such a joy to join Abney Park Trust at this special reopening event, where together we celebrated fulfilling our long held ambition to restore Abney Park chapel and provide new amenities. 

“With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, local experts and volunteers, we have taken care to undertake a restoration that recognises the importance of the history and ecology of this Magnificent Seven cemetery.”