The Daten in Culcheth has had the sort of transformation that makes you blink twice and wonder if you have wandered into the wrong building. According to Tom Bedworth's piece in the Warrington Guardian, with the usual Newsquest visuals and that slightly odd USA Today partnership note via The Herald, the club has been properly revamped by its volunteers and committee.
And honestly, fair play. The entrance, once very much giving 'work in progress and possibly keep your coat on', is now apparently almost unrecognisable. The wider club has followed suit, with one of the biggest changes being the new Sunflower Community Cafe.
The cafe is named for its link with Warrington's Ukrainian Family Hub, which runs from the Daten twice a week. That is a genuinely lovely bit of community purpose, not just a lick of paint and a few cushions pretending to be progress. The old small bar in the corner has gone, replaced by sofas, armchairs, tables and chairs, with food now being served regularly when the club is open.
Kate Burnham, who is now one of the full-time staff members at the Daten and helps organise events, has a proper history with the place. She is 21, has been coming since 2001 with her family, and even washed pots in the old kitchen from the age of 15. That is not just employment, that is practically a Daten apprenticeship.
Kate said Culcheth is a close community and that the club is now doing much more for local people. She also said it feels strange seeing so much foot traffic during the week, with more residents using the facilities regularly. Quite right too. A community building should not be sitting there like a relic waiting for a Tuesday night committee meeting and a packet of dry roasted peanuts.
The Daten has been part of Culcheth since the 1940s, when it was built during the Second World War as a social club by the UK Atomic Energy Authority for its employees. It was later sold to the community of Culcheth village, with a covenant ensuring it remains for community use. In other words, it is not just another building off Charnock Road, it is part of the village furniture, albeit furniture that has finally been reupholstered.
The ballroom has also had a much-needed facelift. Modern lighting, roof drapes and an upgraded bar area have dragged it into the 21st century, which is handy because village halls and clubs can so easily slip into '1978 wedding reception' if nobody intervenes. This one, thankfully, seems to have swerved that fate.
Kate said the Daten is now appealing to younger people as well as the regulars, with events such as bingo bedlam, 21st birthdays, party nights and gatherings ranging from 18 to over 60. That mix is exactly what Culcheth needs: not a youth takeover, not a nostalgia museum, but somewhere where different generations can actually share the same room without anyone tutting into a bitter lemon.
She also admitted some people had doubts about the renovations, thinking they had heard it all before. Her reaction now is simple: she just cannot believe it. That is probably the best review a village club can get, especially from someone who remembers the old kitchen.
Even the toilets have had a radical revamp, including the gents, which apparently no longer looks too shabby. Let us not underestimate this. A decent toilet upgrade can do more for public morale than three consultation documents and a banner saying 'exciting changes coming soon'.
The Daten previously struggled with changing opening hours because footfall was unpredictable, but it is now able to open regularly through the summer. That is the real test, of course: not whether it looks good on a launch day, but whether people keep using it once the novelty has worn off.
Community cafe summer opening times:
- Monday: 9.30am to 8.30pm
- Tuesday: 9.30am to 8.30pm
- Wednesday: 9.30am to 4.30pm
- Thursday: 9.30am to 6pm
- Friday: 9.30am to 12pm
- Saturday: 9am to 6pm
- Sunday: 10am to 5pm
Daten bar area summer opening times:
- Monday: closed
- Tuesday: closed
- Wednesday: from 4.30pm
- Thursday: from 6pm
- Friday: from 5pm
- Saturday: from 12pm
- Sunday: from 12pm
The Daten is off Charnock Road in Culcheth. After years of promises, patch-ups and the usual village scepticism, it looks like the place has finally found its momentum. About time, frankly, but credit where it is due: this is volunteer power with actual results.