AN HISTORIC cafe celebrated its 100th birthday on Saturday.

The centenary of the cafe in Darlington's South Park was commemorated with the towns mayor, Ian Haszeldine, cutting a cake.

Opened in 1908, the cafe was described as a rustic tea pavilion.

It is, of course, in close proximity to the bowling green and lawn tennis courts and is most pleasantly situated, it was reported on its opening.

It was opened on June 4 by the town,s then mayoress, Mrs CW Starmer, but as she was female, she was not allowed to either use her own name or to speak in public, so her husband, the mayor Coun Charles Starmer, spoke for her.

He said what a pleasure it had been for her to open a very handsome structure which will make this park more beautiful.

On Saturday, Coun Haszeldine said the cafe had been restored to its former glory during a recent £3.9m refurbishment of the Victorian park.

The cafe was opened in 1908 and it has been fully restored and rebuilt, he said. The historical look has been maintained, but at the same time it is proving to be an excellent cafe and bistro for the park.

Many people came to help celebrate 100 years of the cafe being in South Park.