Pumpkin cafes closed for good?

[Ianno87]

To be frank I’m happy that these station cafes have closed. They’ve been taking advantage of travellers for far too long, hopefully going forward some reasonably priced alternatives will take their place.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I remember Casey Jones. For a young teenager they were the 'must have' food to accompany a rail roving day!

Nah! The "must have" food, back in the day, were the slightly outsize chocolate chip cookies that you could normally get onboard from the buffet cars on Inter City services.

 

[Darandio]

To be frank I’m happy that these station cafes have closed. They’ve been taking advantage of travellers for far too long, hopefully going forward some reasonably priced alternatives will take their place.

Ain't gonna happen Frank, at least not in the larger stations.

 

[Carlisle]

To be frank I’m happy that these station cafes have closed. They’ve been taking advantage of travellers for far too long, hopefully going forward some reasonably priced alternatives will take their place.

The few station cafes I’ve visited in the likes of Spain , France & Germany all seemed on the dear side. Is there actually any first world country where most of these facilities are noticeably cheap ?

 

[Djgr]

Blimey, I've not seen that one open for years. I'd assumed it had shut ages ago !

The cafe on the entrance road to Oxford Road Station (Java?) was much better.

 

[yorksrob]

The cafe on the entrance road to Oxford Road Station (Java?) was much better.

Ah, I've seen it but not used it.

 

[Robertj21a]

The few station cafes I’ve visited in the likes of Spain , France & Germany all seemed on the dear side. Is there actually any first world country where most of these facilities are noticeably cheap ?

You get what you pay for (except Starbucks where you get very little of quality!) so you either pay for a better quality offering [Pret/Nero/Costa] or have a cheap and cheerful outlet like Greggs.

 

[SteveM70]

The cafe on the entrance road to Oxford Road Station (Java?) was much better.

There’s also a Java at Victoria and the coffee is really good.

Obviously nothing like the scale of the big stations, but there’s an independent cafe at Hebden Bridge that’s absolutely fantastic, not least because (nice) filter coffee is a quid

 

[Trackman]

I'd wish people would stop mentioning Casey Jones as I'm desperately trying not to look up the theme tune and song on You-Tube.
I may yield, oddly enough only on in later life I found out he was a real person.

I use the Pumpkin at Manchester Oxford Road station occasionally for a coffee and still find it expensive even with the Bitecard discount, which I admit is not much now (5%) - but I see this is covered on another thread.

I have a memory from about 10 years ago at the crack at dawn at Occy Road of it opening and someone going in to play the fruit machine!
They used to open really early, I'm guessing around 6am.

 

[trebor79]

Pumpkin are dreadful and I wouldn't miss them if they disappeared. Surly staff, the tables, decor and (lack of) cleanliness are like a throwback to the 80s. Really expensive for low quality stuff too. Last time I was in one I bought a coffee. I picked up a very artificial looking Danish pastry and put it down again when I realised what they were charging for it, decided to go hungry instead.
Coffee was OK because it was a bit tasteless, which is better than the really astringent stuff the posh chains sell.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You get what you pay for (except Starbucks where you get very little of quality!) so you either pay for a better quality offering [Pret/Nero/Costa] or have a cheap and cheerful outlet like Greggs.

Other than their inability to pay their taxes (not something unique to them) I don't share the hate for Starbucks, provided you put a second shot in to get the strength up it seems OK enough to me.

That said, their motorway-services self-service machines produce dishwater, it really is vile, incredibly weak. Whereas I find Costa Express machines produce better coffee than their manual shops do. Actually there's a question - why don't you see those at stations?

 

[387star]

Pumpkin are dreadful and I wouldn't miss them if they disappeared. Surly staff, the tables, decor and (lack of) cleanliness are like a throwback to the 80s. Really expensive for low quality stuff too. Last time I was in one I bought a coffee. I picked up a very artificial looking Danish pastry and put it down again when I realised what they were charging for it, decided to go hungry instead.
Coffee was OK because it was a bit tasteless, which is better than the really astringent stuff the posh chains sell.

At Portsmouth Harbour not long back I noticed flies everywhere buzzing around which was a bad sign !
The Ginsters sandwiches were nearly four pounds each which was crazy. Nothing special about them

 

[yorksrob]

Does anyone know if Huddersfield station buffet is still open in this lockdown ? I know lot of staff use it.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I spend a bit of time at home making sandwiches, take fruit, yoghurt, drinks from home, rarely use a fff fastfoodfacility
Saves time on the journey, saves cash, I make exactly what I want to eat

 

[Mordac]

Other than their inability to pay their taxes (not something unique to them) I don't share the hate for Starbucks, provided you put a second shot in to get the strength up it seems OK enough to me.

That said, their motorway-services self-service machines produce dishwater, it really is vile, incredibly weak. Whereas I find Costa Express machines produce better coffee than their manual shops do. Actually there's a question - why don't you see those at stations?

That is indeed the key to Starbucks. Although their filter coffee is pretty good too imo.

 

[yorksrob]

Starbucks, while pricey, do do a tasty cup of tea.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is indeed the key to Starbucks. Although their filter coffee is pretty good too imo.

Yes, that's true, the filter is good and cheap (and you get a free refill if drinking in).

Interestingly Starbucks' heritage is based on filter coffee (like say Tim Hortons) - they didn't do espresso based drinks initially.

Starbucks, while pricey, do do a tasty cup of tea.

Yeah, their tea isn't bad, and indeed that's the only way to get a decent drink out of their "on the go" machines. That said, the winner of that one is the Sainsbury's Local at Manc Picc which does Yorkshire Gold (for there is only one) for about a quid.

Why most places do PG Tips I have no idea, they might as well just bag up the floor sweepings once a week.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, that's true, the filter is good and cheap (and you get a free refill if drinking in).

Interestingly Starbucks' heritage is based on filter coffee (like say Tim Hortons) - they didn't do espresso based drinks initially.



Yeah, their tea isn't bad, and indeed that's the only way to get a decent drink out of their "on the go" machines. That said, the winner of that one is the Sainsbury's Local at Manc Picc which does Yorkshire Gold (for there is only one) for about a quid.

Why most places do PG Tips I have no idea, they might as well just bag up the floor sweepings once a week.

Not quite as bad as Twinings "Everyday", but not up to much. TBH ordinary "Yorkshire" is a pretty superior tea IMO.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not quite as bad as Twinings "Everyday", but not up to much. TBH ordinary "Yorkshire" is a pretty superior tea IMO.

I seem to alternate between Gold and regular, can't decide which I prefer.

 

[SteveM70]

Starbucks espresso is very nice, I much prefer it to Costa or Nero. But because I drink espresso a lot, I tend to find “long” coffee drinks tasteless.

I can’t stand “normal” tea, but like earl grey. However Starbucks version of earl grey is revolting - it tastes almost minty to me.

What I really need is a railway station cafe that serves lapsang souchong

 

[dk1]

I spend a bit of time at home making sandwiches, take fruit, yoghurt, drinks from home, rarely use a fff fastfoodfacility
Saves time on the journey, saves cash, I make exactly what I want to eat

That's fair enough & I do it roughly 50% of the time too for work. Other days I either can't be bothered or prefer to buy out. When I am off however or going somewhere for leisure I have never taken a pack up & always purchase from station outlets or onboard. It's all part of the adventure.

 

[Steve Harris]

(Casey Jones)


On privatisation they became Burger King franchises. I remember Casey Jones. For a young teenager they were the 'must have' food to accompany a rail roving day!

Indeed. Although I used to stick to the Milkshakes which were far better than the Burger King variety.

 

[vlad]

What I really need is a railway station cafe that serves lapsang souchong

That used to be available at the tea room at Great Malvern station. I haven't been there since the start of The Situation so can't confirm what they sell now.

 

[Metal_gee_man]

I use the Pumpkin at Manchester Oxford Road station occasionally for a coffee and still find it expensive even with the Bitecard discount, which I admit is not much now (5%) - but I see this is covered on another thread.

That card was a god send when gave 20% off at the beginning, it made eating at the station comparable to walking 5 minutes outside to a normal outlet! But now its a shower of sh*te I'm not even sure if I should bother carrying the card around any longer!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That card was a god send when gave 20% off at the beginning, it made eating at the station comparable to walking 5 minutes outside to a normal outlet! But now its a shower of sh*te I'm not even sure if I should bother carrying the card around any longer!

Mine wore out about a year ago and you can't get a replacement any more.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Pumpkin are dreadful and I wouldn't miss them if they disappeared. Surly staff, the tables, decor and (lack of) cleanliness are like a throwback to the 80s. Really expensive for low quality stuff too. Last time I was in one I bought a coffee. I picked up a very artificial looking Danish pastry and put it down again when I realised what they were charging for it, decided to go hungry instead.
Coffee was OK because it was a bit tasteless, which is better than the really astringent stuff the posh chains sell.

Couldn’t agree more. Everything about the outlet at Manchester Oxford Road is dire, in particular the rude, unfriendly staff, and how positively filthy the place always feels.

 

[och aye]

What I really need is a railway station cafe that serves lapsang souchong

Does Shoreditch High Street not have a hipster tea shop where you pay what you think the tea was worth, while taking selfies of yourself and your tea for your instagram profile?

 

[Metal_gee_man]

Let's be honest with ourselves, Network Rail and the TOCs have learnt the value of retail space in their stations! They know commercial value of these businesses and what inflated rent they can charge, whilst the inflated rent is charged the businesses in the stations will be a poor quality high price offering (a few companies excluded) because they have to pay the huge rents, so we the public pay an extra £1.50 for our BK Whopper or West Cornwall pasty. I for one can't stand SSP, they have extremely poor employee relations, poor wages etc... I'd happily see them go under (I'd feel for their employees) but once stupid companies keep paying the sky high rents there is no way back, if there are 5 or 6 units empty, unrentable because of cost they'll soon reduce the rent, bringing in honest businesses who want to provide a great product and not rip people off!
(Yeah yeah i know I'm funny its a pipedream of mine, I would love the airports to have a similar story too)

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think that's why Maccies doesn't tend to exist on stations - their franchise agreements don't allow prices to be marked up, everywhere in the UK has to charge the same. That said, you get them in motorway services, so I guess the volume they sell must cover the cost.

Subway also seem to have standardised prices now, they didn't for years though.

 

[Metal_gee_man]

So there's a maccys in London Victoria and Paddington? Am I correct? I'm assuming their leases might predate many of the other businesses in the stations! Are there any more people can come up with