( ?Trivia ) Largest Station with the worst food ( I Vote Bristol TM )

edwin_m · 9 Feb 2020

urbophile said:
Next door to the station though? As I recall Temple Meads is quite a trudge from the city centre and a choice of restaurants. That may have changed of course.
But it's not the fairest comparison to judge station food outlets without taking into account what lies just outside. Some city and large town stations are quite remote from the commercial hub, while others are right in the middle.

There certainly doesn't seem to be much around Temple Meads. If you go out of the north exit (towards the ferry) there's a convenience store and a Starbucks. The city centre is all very well but as mentioned is too far away to get a bite between trains, or if you've been visiting one of the offices nearby and want to grab something to eat before catching the train home.

Re 4/4 said:
I think it's reopened as The Sidings or something now?

There's certainly one of that name there, which I think used to be the Reckless Engineer.

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camflyer · 9 Feb 2020

edwin_m said:
There certainly doesn't seem to be much around Temple Meads. If you go out of the north exit (towards the ferry) there's a convenience store and a Starbucks. The city centre is all very well but as mentioned is too far away to get a bite between trains, or if you've been visiting one of the offices nearby and want to grab something to eat before catching the train home.

Apparently the masterplan for Temple Meads to to move the main entrance to the western side where the new office development/Wetherspoons is and create a new eastern entrance as part of the University redevelopment of the post-industrial wasteland now known as the Temple Quarter.

Wtloild · 9 Feb 2020

Recall once being stuck for ages at Wolverhampton waiting for a delayed connection & there being absolutely no source of food, not even a vending machine.
This is over 15 years ago, so might have improved since.

camflyer · 9 Feb 2020

thenorthern said:
Given the size of it Crewe is a large station, the catering options there are pretty bad.

One of the best curries I've ever had in my life was at an Indian restaurant just outside of the station while waiting for a connection at Crewe. The rest of the area near the station is pretty grim though. As such an major railway junction, you'd think Crewe would have a lot of commercial development around the station but it's more like the Town Which Time Forgot.

Mikey C · 9 Feb 2020

To me Euston is well catered for. The loss of the Bree Louise (for HS2) was sad, but there are still a decent range of pubs within a couple of minutes of the station - The Signal Box in the station, Doric Arch and Euston Tap just outside and the Exmouth not far away, plenty of eating places, an M&S and a Sainsbury's convenience store

And it's a short walk to the Kings Cross area for loads more options

route101 · 10 Feb 2020

Mikey C said:
To me Euston is well catered for. The loss of the Bree Louise (for HS2) was sad, but there are still a decent range of pubs within a couple of minutes of the station - The Signal Box in the station, Doric Arch and Euston Tap just outside and the Exmouth not far away, plenty of eating places, an M&S and a Sainsbury's convenience store

And it's a short walk to the Kings Cross area for loads more options

The Signal Box wasn't too bad when i had my dinner there , owned by Fullers. Much better than the Beerhouse

[.n] · 10 Feb 2020

Clapham Junction

mirodo · 10 Feb 2020

Ianigsy said:
The only options at Bradford Interchange are a coffee cart on the platforms and Greggs downstairs in the bus station part.

Didn't there used to be a stall selling samosas, bhajis and other such delicacies? I'm going back quite a few years...

gazthomas · 10 Feb 2020

What a great thread. SSP have a practical monopoly at stations so you can see why they're not incentivised to deliver quality

fishquinn · 10 Feb 2020

Mike99 said:
At Euston, 200meters up Eversholt Street, (the road up the side of Platform 1, is Double 6 (66) café, been there years, does all the normal breakfast options, snacks and dinners,(Shepherds Pie sort if stuff) excellent value, decent food reasonably priced for London, full English options for £5 plus dinners for £6+, I always use it especially when needing breakfast

Agreed, brilliant location for a bite to eat if at Euston.

Bletchleyite · 10 Feb 2020

camflyer said:
One of the best curries I've ever had in my life was at an Indian restaurant just outside of the station while waiting for a connection at Crewe. The rest of the area near the station is pretty grim though. As such an major railway junction, you'd think Crewe would have a lot of commercial development around the station but it's more like the Town Which Time Forgot.

Out of the station, turn left, carry on a bit and on your left? I've eaten there, they are pretty good, were a good use of the 59 minute connection you used to have on Sundays between Lancaster/Preston and MKC.

There is also an out of town shopping type thing if you turn right out of the station with Subway etc, but if I recall the opening hours aren't that late.

Mag_seven · 10 Feb 2020

Mikey C said:
a Sainsbury's convenience store

Which I discovered sells hot sausage and bacon rolls in the morning at a reasonable price.

Mike99 said:
At Euston, 200meters up Eversholt Street, (the road up the side of Platform 1, is Double 6 (66) café, been there years, does all the normal breakfast options, snacks and dinners,(Shepherds Pie sort if stuff) excellent value, decent food reasonably priced for London, full English options for £5 plus dinners for £6+, I always use it especially when needing breakfast

fishquinn said:
Agreed, brilliant location for a bite to eat if at Euston.

Never seen that one - must seek it out the next time I'm around there.

blue87 · 10 Feb 2020

Puffing Devil said:
There is the Greggs/Subway/Starbucks complex now just by the new car park. Not much else, other than Tesco and McD. There are fast food joints towards Nantwich, though they are skewed to the late-night palate.

I second the options at Euston - all chains but a good choice.

Not sure if it's still there, but I used to go to a burger van in the car park at B&Q just by Crewe Station across from the new entrance which did decent breakfast sandwiches.

camflyer · 10 Feb 2020

Bletchleyite said:
Out of the station, turn left, carry on a bit and on your left? I've eaten there, they are pretty good, were a good use of the 59 minute connection you used to have on Sundays between Lancaster/Preston and MKC.

Yes, that's the place. Looking on Google Maps, it's called the Passage to India.

caliwag · 10 Feb 2020

Temple Meads, there's a splendid place just outside the back entrance called lush Yurt. It is actually a yurt. don't be put off by the hippy look, it's actually brill

Dai Corner · 10 Feb 2020

caliwag said:
Temple Meads, there's a splendid place just outside the back entrance called lush Yurt. It is actually a yurt. don't be put off by the hippy look, it's actually brill

Yurt Lush (a pun on Bristolian expression 'gert lush' meaning 'gorgeous, brilliant, of very high quality')

CptCharlee · 10 Feb 2020

Plymouth could do with more. Hopefully the redevelopment brings that. I despise pumpkin coffee worst place out there.

Bletchleyite · 10 Feb 2020

CptCharlee said:
Plymouth could do with more. Hopefully the redevelopment brings that. I despise pumpkin coffee worst place out there.

Agreed, though Plymouth isn't that far from the town centre - the problem with Temple Meads is that there's nothing nearby at all, near enough.

It would at least benefit from an M&S Food and a Subway.

OhNoAPacer · 10 Feb 2020

Lancaster, has a small Costa, it closes at 19:30 (19:00 on a Saturday).
There is another small place on the northbound platform but don't think that stays open any later.

edwin_m · 10 Feb 2020

Changing at Gloucester the other day there didn't seem to be much nearby except a huge Asda.

Bletchleyite · 10 Feb 2020

OhNoAPacer said:
Lancaster, has a small Costa, it closes at 19:30 (19:00 on a Saturday).
There is another small place on the northbound platform but don't think that stays open any later.

Though again it's quite near the centre with all its facilities, even if it's late on you've got Subway, KFC, that new fancy German kebab shop place and both a Tesco Express and a Sainsbury's Local within a not excessive walking distance.

Up the same way Penrith and Carlisle don't have a lot, but Penrith has a Maccy's right outside, and Carlisle is again right next to the centre with a load of places right outside it. Oxenholme has very little and nothing nearby though! Preston is similarly lacking but again is right next to the city centre.

Thinking on, Watford Junction has very little and not an awful lot bar a (reasonably decent) pub nearby. Bletchley has one small coffee outlet but isn't miles from the centre with various stuff including a medium sized Sainsburys and a decent curry house, a less decent one[1] and a Chinese under the viaduct.

[1] Which way round you put the two seems to be a matter for local argument. Personally I'd go to the Rose of India (and have done many times) but as many others seem to favour the Golden Curry!

sheff1 · 10 Feb 2020

Bletchleyite said:
Agreed, though Plymouth isn't that far from the town centre - the problem with Temple Meads is that there's nothing nearby at all, near enough.

I wouldn't say Plymouth station was that near to the city centre - at least not the part where you might find a choice of places selling food for which you would probably be better off heading to Mutley Plain.
Very close to Temple Meads, though, you have the various places already mentioned on this thread plus Don Giovannis which I am sure was mentioned on an earlier thread.

edwin_m · 11 Feb 2020

sheff1 said:
I wouldn't say Plymouth station was that near to the city centre - at least not the part where you might find a choice of places selling food for which you would probably be better off heading to Mutley Plain.
Very close to Temple Meads, though, you have the various places already mentioned on this thread plus Don Giovannis which I am sure was mentioned on an earlier thread.

The places mentioned near to Temple Meads don't seem to amount to very much, especially in comparison to many other major stations where there are more options inside the station as well.

tomwills98 · 11 Feb 2020

Kite159 said:
With a Greggs, Boots & Tesco located just outside the station to avoid the station premium

And a Pret underneath the new BBC building. There's also plenty of options along St Mary's Street you can get to and back from with a half hour walk

HSP 2 · 11 Feb 2020

Wtloild said:
Recall once being stuck for ages at Wolverhampton waiting for a delayed connection & there being absolutely no source of food, not even a vending machine.
This is over 15 years ago, so might have improved since.

You are not missing any thing by not going to WVH !!!!

gazthomas said:
What a great thread. SSP have a practical monopoly at stations so you can see why they're not incentivised to deliver quality

Go on what or who are SSP?

edwin_m · 11 Feb 2020

HSP 2 said:
Go on what or who are SSP?

Select Service Partner. If you look carefully at most of the eateries on stations you will find they are actually run by SSP as a franchise to the ostensible operator. They also own Rail Gourmet.

gazthomas · 11 Feb 2020

edwin_m said:
Select Service Partner. If you look carefully at most of the eateries on stations you will find they are actually run by SSP as a franchise to the ostensible operator. They also own Rail Gourmet.

Thanks for saving me the job Edwin 8-)

They are also present at many railway stations and airports worldwide.

It's a shame SSP no longer issue their Bitecard to new customers and for those "lucky" to still have one the discounts offered are a shadow of their former self

( ?Trivia ) Largest Station with the worst food ( I Vote Bristol TM )

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