The Old Grindleford Railway Station Café

in #hive-1525242 months ago

The old Grindleford Railway Station in Derbyshire, UK now serves as a café. In the past, this particular café had a bit of a reputation as the owner, Phil Eastwood, was very well known for speaking his mind on many subjects from naughty children to politics.

If he didn't voice his opinion he put a poster up! Sadly, his wife Margaret died in 1996 and Phil passed away in 2007. The café stayed within the family and is now run by his son, Phillip. I have never been to the café before, so I never met Phil.

I wasn't sure if the heart on the door was to lull us into a false sense of security.

My first thought as I entered the café was that there was a funny smell. I can't describe the smell. It wasn't really offensive, but neither was it pleasant. It wasn't coming from us or the friendly dog that we met in the queue either.

When we placed our order, we were given a number. When your food is ready, they will shout the number, and you then go and collect your food at the counter. For some strange reason, they shout through a microphone even though you are practically in the same room. Whether they think you are deaf or whether the woman shouting used to be a bingo caller, I have no idea, but she nearly burst my eardrums!

We ordered lattes, a veggie burger with salad and a cheese and tomato toastie with salad.

When you finish your food, you go into the next room and place your dirty pots on the counter. I was tempted to shout "FINISHED" just to get back at the woman on the microphone, but I thought better of it.

The walls were covered in railway memorabilia. I liked the old signs hanging on the wall, especially the 'Ladies Waiting Room'.

Verdict: The coffee and toasties were good but my veggie burger was ... interesting. It was edible but I don't think I'd order it again.

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There's something about railway cafes 😍
That sign made me chuckle. I need one for the boat 😆.
There was a sign in the changing room at a Charity Shop that said Shoplifters would be donated a pair of bangles, which was the picture of a handcuff. I thought that was so clever 😂

Awesome photos, and I particularly like the last one.

Coffee is my Saviour. I shall not want Coffee maketh in green pastures and plantations Coffee restoreth my soul Coffee leadeth me in the paths of green hilly pastures For Caffeine name sake. Yeah though the work is h.jpg


A parody from a fictional book

Thank you. I do like a good sign. I think if I had a lot of money, I'd have a lot of old enamel signs in my flat.

They do had personality to a room:)

Sounds like a funny old place to me. The most memorable railway cafe we’ve been to was onboard a former train carriage, complete with the train seats and tables, just as they would’ve been when it was originally in use. I think one side was like that and the other had normal tables in order to accommodate as many people as possible.

I loved that sign too. I want one of those!

I love quirky cafes. It's good they repurpose things insteads of just demolishing them. A railway carriage sounds cool.

I think more of this should be done and to be fair it is. I know of a cafe near an airfield that has been built out of the fuselage of an old Comet jet. I’ve driven past it loads of times but never gone in.

That's right up my street. I've also seen old planes turned into holiday accommodation. A couple of years ago, I stopped in Colditz Castle in Germany. It's now a youth hostel. It was very basic but an interesting experience.

Gosh I bet that was interesting in a somber way. Some family members have been there and said that they feel many people should visit in order to learn about those terrible times in human history.

I went to Oradour-sur-glane in France where one of the worst Nazi massacres took place. That was very harrowing.

Yes, I think it's good to visit these places to learn about the past. Hopefully, it will never happen again, but the way the world is going I'm not at all confident.

Yep same here. It is a worry.

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God, I loved reading this :))) Sounds like a fun visit, and the place definitely seems to have its own unique brand of charm. And that sign. Such a mood, as the kids say.

Thank you! I like 'such a mood'. I might start using it. 😁

Your recount of the Grindleford Railway Station café experience was both amusing and insightful! It’s fascinating to hear about its quirky history and the unique personality of its former owner, Phil. The vivid description of your visit, from the unexpected smell to the loud order announcements, really painted a picture. While it sounds like the café has its charm with the railway memorabilia and friendly atmosphere, it’s good to know that the veggie burger might not be their specialty. Thanks for sharing your entertaining review! 🚆

My pleasure. You have to try different places. Sometimes, it doesn't always work out but fun to try. 🙂

A very peculiar place, with a sober decoration. Personally, I found it a very pleasant place to spend a moment, it's a shame that not every has been positive. I hope you can return to this place that breathes nostalgia.

Thanks for sharing your coffee experience with us.☕

Happy weekend.

Thank you @rinconpoetico7. 🙏

Nice little cafe with interesting and old interior design. The last was probably partially deaf. So you could have shouted without attracting her attention! I knew I would do just that! Could hardly resist the prank! 🙀😂

You're naughty .... but good. 😆