Cafe on Platform 6 Crewe

[wyddfa]

It’s difficult to imagine a more depressing place: a motley collection of light fittings that haven’t been cleaned in years hang from ceiling tiles stained from water leaks.
An odd collection of tables and chairs, some not even broken, host uncollected plastic cups and plates. Unappealing ancient advertisements adorn the walls, while the peeling paint and beeping from the gambling machines all add to the atmosphere. It’s all a bit “provincial fin de siècle Soviet.”
The most depressing thing? Nobody cares. Nobody in management gives a flying *uck.
How the staff stay cheerful and helpful serving in this depressing place is remarkable.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

That's just like reading a 'one out of five star' review on TripAdvisor! And one star being somewhat generous.

 

[GardenRail]

It’s difficult to imagine a more depressing place: a motley collection of light fittings that haven’t been cleaned in years hang from ceiling tiles stained from water leaks.
An odd collection of tables and chairs, some not even broken, host uncollected plastic cups and plates. Unappealing ancient advertisements adorn the walls, while the peeling paint and beeping from the gambling machines all add to the atmosphere. It’s all a bit “provincial fin de siècle Soviet.”
The most depressing thing? Nobody cares. Nobody in management gives a flying *uck.
How the staff stay cheerful and helpful serving in this depressing place is remarkable.

Suits Crewe spot on

 

[75A]

If you don't like it vote with your feet, no-one's forcing you in there.

 

[Spaceship323]

Suits Crewe spot on

At least it's somewhere dry to sit if it's raining...(if you don't know the roof over the platforms leaks a bit!)

 

[75A]

At least it's somewhere dry to sit if it's raining...(if you don't know the roof over the platforms leaks a bit!)

Right, haven't been to or even through Crewe in years, sounds a bit grim.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's not actually much better in the Upper Crust on P5.
And the Upper Crust at Lime St is simply revolting.
It's hard to say if the state of these places is down to the outlet (SSP) or the station operator (NR ultimately).
The Costa outlets on stations are markedly better run.

 

[Nym]

It's not actually much better in the Upper Crust on P5.
And the Upper Crust at Lime St is simply revolting.
It's hard to say if the state of these places is down to the outlet (SSP) or the station operator (NR ultimately).
The Costa outlets on stations are markedly better run.

They usually are, but they serve Costa products so that rules out edibility…

 

[takno]

The Costa outlets on stations are markedly better run.

The Costa Outlets are largely run by the same company as the Upper Crusts, and quite commonly share staff. If there's a difference in how run down they are it's probably because the Costas will have been opened slightly more recently, and may have been given the better spots as an "upmarket brand".

 

[wyddfa]

If you don't like it vote with your feet, no-one's forcing you in there.

Agreed. It’s precisely why I often fly to LHR on the MAN shuttle rather than use the train.

 

[MP393]

It's not actually much better in the Upper Crust on P5.

That’s just been refurbished and reopened recently as a “Cafe Local”. It’s still an SSP overpriced same old same old but it’s a lot brighter than it was and is at least much more appealing than the platform 6 alternative. The waiting room on the Pl5 is a much better environment too

 

[DarloRich]

Crewe station is grotty full stop - the cafe is just a symptom.

Use the new side entrance and walk to Greggs,

 

[MalaiseForever]

New Cafe on P5 and the P6 stuff is about to be started on as well to bring it up to the same standard as P5.

 

[yorksrob]

The bar needs a better selection of ales.

 

[DarloRich]

The bar needs a better selection of ales.

it sells ale? It only ever seems to have cooking lager available for a resistible price!

 

[yorksrob]

it sells ale? It only ever seems to have cooking lager available for a resistible price!

Quite !

 

[BeijingDave]

If you don't like it vote with your feet, no-one's forcing you in there.

This is only partially true when referring to things like railway stations or motorway services concessions, which are often a monopoly or oligopoly of overpriced, cr*p places serving people who have no other choice.

 

[12C]

In a weird sort of way I quite like the nostalgia of these dilapidated SSP cafes, just because they remind me of good times bashing 37s, 47s and electrics around Crewe in the 90s/00s!

 

[75A]

This is only partially true when referring to things like railway stations or motorway services concessions, which are often a monopoly or oligopoly of overpriced, cr*p places serving people who have no other choice.

Wife and I regularly make the 1000 mile round trip to Santa Pod (Northants), we take our own supplies and only use the M6 services for pe.ing.

 

[Halwynd]

In a weird sort of way I quite like the nostalgia of these dilapidated SSP cafes, just because they remind me of good times bashing 37s, 47s and electrics around Crewe in the 90s/00s!

I know what you mean... it didn't seem much at the time, but queuing up with a tray then heading to the microwave set-up (adjacent the slot machines) where you could explode your jacket potato or nuke a brunch muffin does bring the nostalgic feelings back.

Probably sounds strange, but as well as the trains I wish I'd taken more 'niche' pictures of the wider railway back in the day.

I'm heading through Crewe at the weekend so I might just pop my head in and have a look for old times sake...

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm heading through Crewe at the weekend so I might just pop my head in and have a look for old times sake...

Seems like it won't have changed too much since last you were there, even if that wasn't any time recently.

 

[childwallblues]

You do not have to use the Upper Crust at Lime Street - there are plenty of other outlets on the station including Wethersspoons which opens at 0600.

 

[chris_in_salop]

I'll often pop in there when I'm changing at Crewe. I really don't see the problem with the place - it's fine as it is.

 

[DarloRich]

I'll often pop in there when I'm changing at Crewe. I really don't see the problem with the place - it's fine as it is.

other than it being expensive, run down, lacking a decent selection of products, having an "interesting clientele and being at a generally grotty station where not much happens it is totally fine!

 

[Llandudno]

Crewe station is crying out for a micropub with a decent selection of real ales and wine. Throw in a few ham/cheese cobs and pork pies and the like and it would make a killing!

All the pubs within 15 minutes walk away from the station are dire!

 

[yorksrob]

Crewe station is crying out for a micropub with a decent selection of real ales and wine. Throw in a few ham/cheese cobs and pork pies and the like and it would make a killing!

All the pubs within 15 minutes walk away from the station are dire!

I've not really explored the pubs in the vicinity (had a pint over the road in the hotel a few years ago).

But I agree, a tap type hostelry would be ideal

 

[Trackman]

Not changed at Crewe for a few years, is (or was) the café on P6 a Pumpkin? I do remember last time I went they served beer.

 

[The Planner]

Crewe station is crying out for a micropub with a decent selection of real ales and wine. Throw in a few ham/cheese cobs and pork pies and the like and it would make a killing!

All the pubs within 15 minutes walk away from the station are dire!

Ebeneezers isnt that far?

 

[Fermiboson]

Perhaps a more important problem is that often on the P6 cafe you can’t hear the manual announcements clearly - and there’s nowhere to find a departure board. Having changed there maybe four or five times in the last two months, I still can’t figure out where to find information and have had to walk circles around the station, including a part where the directions board for “information” points you into the cafe.

When it comes to station amenities, there’s definitely worse, and Crewe is just not really a big place relative to the size/amount of services its station gets as an important rail junction.

 

[martinsh]

Ebeneezers isnt that far?

I timed it at 8 minutes once. [ Straight down Nantwich Road and it's on your right ]