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Swanley Park Cafe Owners Retire After 15 Years of Service

Brothers İsmet and Bülent Levent, along with their partners, are stepping down after a decade and a half running the popular park cafe.

Generic image of a traditional stone town hall facade with an ornate balcony and iron railings, bathed in warm afternoon sunlight.
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Generic image of a traditional stone town hall facade with an ornate balcony and iron railings, bathed in warm afternoon sunlight.

Swanley Town Council is bidding farewell to brothers İsmet and Bülent “Tony” Levent and their business partners, Canan “Jan” and Gülen “Lesley”, who are retiring after 15 years of operating the Park Café and ice cream concession at Swanley Park.

The family have been a cherished part of Swanley Park for fifteen years, managing the Park Café and a separate ice cream concession through significant changes and investment in the park. During their tenure, İsmet and Tony transformed the café from a small facility with a limited menu into a modern space with new kitchen and serving areas, expanding its offerings to provide a more year-round service.
Their time at Swanley Park has coincided with three different management eras: initially under private management by Weston Leisure, then Can You Experience, before the Swanley Town Council took direct management approximately ten years ago. This decade has seen substantial investment and development at the park, including new attractions like pedalos, inflatable attractions, a rebuilt Water Park, the Barnyard soft play area, the Dawn to Dusk Nursery, the Acres Dog Exercise Area, and the Awe and Wonder outdoor play area, alongside numerous behind-the-scenes improvements.
The café team navigated challenges including the global pandemic and recent cost pressures on small businesses, remaining a constant presence. Their retirement will not disrupt visitors, as the café will continue to operate as normal under new management.
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"There really aren’t enough words to properly thank İsmet, Tony, Jan and Lesley for everything they have contributed to Swanley Park over the last 15 years. We have been through an incredible period of change together. They have not simply been the people who ran the Café; they have been part of the fabric of Swanley Park. They have adapted as the Park has grown, invested in their business, supported events and, most importantly, looked after our visitors. On behalf of Swanley Town Council, I want to give them the biggest possible thank you. We will miss having them around the Park enormously, but we wish İsmet, Tony, Jan and Lesley every happiness as they begin this next chapter."

Ryan Hayman · Swanley Town Council CEO
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"I have known IBL catering for a very long time, over half of my life. Over the past 16 years working at the Park, I have seen just how much İsmet, Tony, Jan and Lesley have put into the Café and into the Park itself. They have become part of the Park family, and their presence will certainly be missed. Without their incredible dedication, hard work, and passion we wouldn’t have the Swanley Park we love and recognise today. I would like to thank them personally for all their hard work, for their friendship, their commitment, guidance, and their support over the past 15 years."

George Brooker · Swanley Town Council Parks and Open Spaces Manager
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"It is very sad for us to be retiring after 15 years at Swanley Park. This place has been a very big part of our lives, and we have met so many wonderful people along the way. We are very grateful for everything Swanley Town Council has done for us and for the support we have received over the years. In particular, we would like to thank Ryan and George for everything they have done and for the relationship we have had with them. We have seen the Park change so much and it has been wonderful to be part of that journey. We are proud of what we have achieved with the Café, and we will always have very special memories of Swanley Park. It is not easy to say goodbye, but we know we are leaving with many happy memories, and we wish the Park, the Council and everyone who visits it all the very best for the future."

İsmet Lavent · Formerly of IBL Catering
Swanley Town Council extends its deepest thanks to İsmet, Bülent, Canan, and Gülen for their 15 years of hard work, investment, friendship, and service to Swanley Park and its visitors. The café will continue to operate under new management.
Based on information from the official source: Swanley Town Council (19/10/2026)

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