WINCHESTER civic chiefs are continuing to back plans proposed by teenagers for a cycle café near St Catherine’s Hill.

The town forum has earmarked £1,000 for workshops to investigate having the café in a former train carriage on the disused railway line by Garnier Road.

The idea was put forward last autumn by students from the SPUD group, short for Space, Place-making and Urban Design.

They are now drawing up a business plan to test its feasibility.

SPUD organiser Mark Drury visited the railway line which links the city to the Hockley Viaduct and reported being surprised by how busy it was with passersby.

SPUD estimates the café would costs around £50,000 to set up and they are talking to Sparsholt College about how it could operate.

City councillors remain enthusiastic about what SPUD is doing.

Cllr Dominic Hiscock said the point of SPUD was to get young people generating ideas. “It is vital we carry on with this. It may never happen but that is not a reason to withhold this funding.”

Cllr Chris Pines added: “It is a brilliant initiative. This an initiative we ought to be pursuing and the sooner the better.”

And Cllr Ian Tait said: “It resonates with the people of Winchester and reflects the way the city works.”

The workshops will be held at the offices of Architecture PLB from April 7-10.