Cyclists/Walkers Cafe business questions
- Thread starter sheddy
- Start date
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The only cycling specific place I know of is The Hub at Glentress, however it looks as if thier days are numbered according to Bikeradar and the local paper.
cisamcgu
Legendary Member
- Location
- Merseyside-ish
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
I would imagine the main thing is location - passing trade. Then, getting a good reputation, to lure in those who didn't happen to be passing, but don't mind a detour.
There's a cafe in Etal, Northumberland, I visit with friends, the Lavender Tearooms.
http://www.thelavendertearooms.org.uk/
It's also the village post office and shop. Etal has a castle, which attracts a visitors, and it's near a little steam railway, so it's an area with passing trade both on two wheels and on four (and often when we're there, three!). We've been going there for years in groups, and it's not specifically a cyclists cafe, although they installed in the last couple of years a row of wheelbender racks outside. What brings us back, year after year is the cheery service and the good cake, and, to some extent, tradition. So it could be a matter of attracting the right people, serving them well, and waiting for them to tell their mates.
There are plenty of us whimsical cyclists who'd be attracted to somewhere that happened to have a bike shaped plant pot holder in the garden - and if the tea and cake were good, we'd be hooked.
Cheap is also good. Big portions, good value.
The little touches would be a track pump available to borrow, some puncture repair kits, some basic tools.
There's a cafe in Etal, Northumberland, I visit with friends, the Lavender Tearooms.
http://www.thelavendertearooms.org.uk/
It's also the village post office and shop. Etal has a castle, which attracts a visitors, and it's near a little steam railway, so it's an area with passing trade both on two wheels and on four (and often when we're there, three!). We've been going there for years in groups, and it's not specifically a cyclists cafe, although they installed in the last couple of years a row of wheelbender racks outside. What brings us back, year after year is the cheery service and the good cake, and, to some extent, tradition. So it could be a matter of attracting the right people, serving them well, and waiting for them to tell their mates.
There are plenty of us whimsical cyclists who'd be attracted to somewhere that happened to have a bike shaped plant pot holder in the garden - and if the tea and cake were good, we'd be hooked.
Cheap is also good. Big portions, good value.
The little touches would be a track pump available to borrow, some puncture repair kits, some basic tools.
Andy_R
Hard of hearing..I said Herd of Herring..oh FFS..
- Location
- County Durham
Parkhead Station Cafe on the C2C on the moors above Consett do quite well too.
DiddlyDodds
Random Resident
- Location
- Littleborough
http://www.greystokecyclecafe.co.uk/
We visit this one just outside Penrith in Greystoke (yes this is where Edgar Rice Burroughs got the name for the tarzan films) , great friendly place
We visit this one just outside Penrith in Greystoke (yes this is where Edgar Rice Burroughs got the name for the tarzan films) , great friendly place
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Round these parts, Maunsel Lock is extremely popular with walkers and cyclists because - a point that's been raised by other posters - it's got a captive audience along the canal path. IMHO it's not as good as many of the other cafes in the area but beggars, as they say, can't be choosers. The cafes we frequent most often as a club tend to be the ones who serve the best cakes, though friendliness of the staff counts a lot as well.
G-Zero
Guru
- Location
- Kirkcudbright, SW Scotland
Sheddy,
Just to follow on from Andy, I don't own or have any connection with the running of this place, but it may assist with your original query on winter opening hours etc. If you're looking at setting up for yourself, I'm sure the owners Terry & Lorraine wouldn't mind a phone call or email to discuss pros and cons. They are a lovely, friendly couple and currently have the business up for sale as a going concern.
http://www.parkheadstation.co.uk/ .... is perfectly situated to cater for cyclists and walkers.
Also has a small restaurant, and B&B with rooms and bunkhouse, so probably stays open outside of normal cafe opening hours. They don't advertise opening times, but they are open 365 days a year, and although they won't cook on Christmas Day, they will happily put the kettle on.
HTH
wildjetskier
Active Member
- Location
- Ascot
Chocolate Theatre
The Choccy Theatre cafe on Windsor/Eton bridge is the local Mecca for cyclists, normal cafe opening hours tho, they even have a web page for cyclists ooooh
http://chocolatetheatrecafebar.com/Cyclists.html
The Choccy Theatre cafe on Windsor/Eton bridge is the local Mecca for cyclists, normal cafe opening hours tho, they even have a web page for cyclists ooooh
http://chocolatetheatrecafebar.com/Cyclists.html
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
And a box containing heavy duty cable locks for cyclists to use. Country Kitchen cafe in the Forest of Bowland is one we use several times a year for forum rides and they have such a box by the door.
