ORR calls for more competition in station catering

[yorksrob]

All main stations need a greasy spoon doing fry-ups.

 

[Djgr]

All main stations need a greasy spoon doing fry-ups.

Yes, the one at Hull (if still there) was excellent.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, the one at Hull (if still there) was excellent.

Yes, I concur.

 

[Amlag]

This fairly lengthy ORR report fails to clearly point out the benefits to the locally based businesses and communities (and who make UK tax contributions ) of station catering provision by a local independent provider who often offer better value for money to their customers.
eg you can get a cup of tea at Tiverton Parkway stn for just £1.10pence.

 

[185143]

Lancaster is a wonderful station and an example of why we need competition. It’s has a wonderful Costa Coffee but a terrible cafe express and WH Smith.

It also has THE BEST independent station pub and will have an independent curry house soon.

So 1 out of 3 chains (Costa) is good but 1 out of 1 independents are excellent (The Pub)

It is very good, I'll give you that. But the Sheffield Tap is much better in my opinion.

Intrigued and looking forward to the curry house though!

 

[yorksrob]

It is very good, I'll give you that. But the Sheffield Tap is much better in my opinion.

Intrigued and looking forward to the curry house though!

They're both excellent pubs and a credit to their profession

I also look forward to getting a Madras for the train back

 

[Revilo]

They have opened a new Warrens bakery on Platform 2 at Bath Spa today. I think that it is an operator independent of SSP.

 

[RooseWithAZed]

It’s has a wonderful Costa Coffee but a terrible cafe express and WH Smith.

Beware of that cafe express, I'm fairly sure I got food poisoning from their microwaved fare. The costa is also extremely expensive. If I have a long layover in Lancaster I'll typically walk down to the tescos in town for a meal deal instead or the pub down the road that recently got a glowing review in the grauniad for its food.

The only station food places behind the gates I've ever felt not ripped off by is the Greggs in London Bridge and frankly I've already dreamt before about at least two Greggs on every street in Britain. Also the coffee shops at Falconwood and New Eltham, but maybe they have gone now...

 

[Requeststop]

I am supposing that the Bath Spa Warren's outlet is the Cornish company known for it's Cornish Pasties?

Greggs, I think only have two outlets in Cornwall. One in Truro recently opened to much chagrin. The other in the Mid Cornwall Services on the A30.

 

[Kilopylae]

Is there any reason why stations with a business below a certain number of employees couldn't just be exempted from the new competition rules? Make Starbucks and Pumpkin compete; let the little café at Piddleton-on-the-Myre (or in a medium-sized station like Exeter, which currently only has chains) keep its monopoly.

 

[185143]

They're both excellent pubs and a credit to their profession

I also look forward to getting a Madras for the train back

Absolutely.

I have been known on multiple occasions to bail out of trains back from Scotland for pints in the station pub at Lancaster

They do a rail staff discount too which is always appreciated.

 

[Wolfie]

Is there any reason why stations with a business below a certain number of employees couldn't just be exempted from the new competition rules? Make Starbucks and Pumpkin compete; let the little café at Piddleton-on-the-Myre (or in a medium-sized station like Exeter, which currently only has chains) keep its monopoly.

Well, given that HMT will be putting on pressure for rental income to be maximised.....

 

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely.

I have been known on multiple occasions to bail out of trains back from Scotland for pints in the station pub at Lancaster

They do a rail staff discount too which is always appreciated.

It's a cool pub but the outside seats make a Fainsa Sophia like an expensive sofa, they are little more than perches.

 

[Goldfish62]

I am supposing that the Bath Spa Warren's outlet is the Cornish company known for it's Cornish Pasties?

It is indeed. And also about the worst Cornish pasties to be found in Cornwall...

 

[Geoff DC]

It is indeed. And also about the worst Cornish pasties to be found in Cornwall...

Well almost, but the crown for the worst goes to Ginsters .

 

[Goldfish62]

Well almost, but the crown for the worst goes to Ginsters .

They're so bad I don't even class them as pasties....

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I would contend that the new(ish?) Pukka branded pasty is somehow even worse than the Ginsters one, as far as shop-bought pasties go.

 

[yorksrob]

Beware of that cafe express, I'm fairly sure I got food poisoning from their microwaved fare. The costa is also extremely expensive. If I have a long layover in Lancaster I'll typically walk down to the tescos in town for a meal deal instead or the pub down the road that recently got a glowing review in the grauniad for its food.

The only station food places behind the gates I've ever felt not ripped off by is the Greggs in London Bridge and frankly I've already dreamt before about at least two Greggs on every street in Britain. Also the coffee shops at Falconwood and New Eltham, but maybe they have gone now...

Going the other way towards the Marsh, there's a decent chippy about five minutes away.

 

[geoffk]

I'm planning a visit to the Ale Way Micropub at Axminster station. Can anyone recommend it?

 

[Galvanize]

I'm planning a visit to the Ale Way Micropub at Axminster station. Can anyone recommend it?

Yes! I visited it in June 2021. Good selection of Ales (several local ones!) and Ciders, very friendly service.

 

[Christmas]

Isn't part of the problem that Network Rail rents are prohibitively expensive for anyone other than SSP to try and make a successful business in a station?

Glasgow Central has recently lost Burger King, Upper Crust and the only remaining station pub. Its like a ghost station now. The buildings at street level look to be largely vacant, again down to Network Rail.

 

[185]

Greggs, I think only have two outlets in Cornwall. One in Truro recently opened to much chagrin.

I think the people of Cornwall should be far more concerned with SSP's "Handmade In Cornwall" slapped all over their hideous The Pasty Shop offerings, I've seen better looking things floating down the Mersey than their £6 detritus.

*Should read handflushed in Runcorn.

 

[geoffk]

I think the people of Cornwall should be far more concerned with SSP's "Handmade In Cornwall" slapped all over their hideous The Pasty Shop offerings, I've seen better looking things floating down the Mersey than their £6 detritus.

*Should read handflushed in Runcorn.

I sometimes visited the West Cornwall Pasty Co. outlet at York station. I think there was also one at Kings Cross. I don't know if they're still around - the website gives their address as M5, Junction 30, Sandygate Roundabout, Exeter. I've never noticed it, probably because I'm too busy negotiating the road layout!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I sometimes visited the West Cornwall Pasty Co. outlet at York station. I think there was also one at Kings Cross. I don't know if they're still around - the website gives their address as M5, Junction 30, Sandygate Roundabout, Exeter. I've never noticed it, probably because I'm too busy negotiating the road layout!

They still seem to have outlets at or nearby to London Waterloo station, also Cambridge, Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Bristol Temple Meads.

 

[Haywain]

Glasgow Central has recently lost Burger King, Upper Crust

Both are franchises operated by SSP.

 

[Travelmonkey]

Yes, the one at Hull (if still there) was excellent.

I'll have to bear in mind I'm thinking of ticking off some Millage with Hull Trains ans I hear their onboard catering is a little lacklustre.

 

[WatcherZero]

I would like to see more competition to Pumpkin and Upper Crust, neither of which I think are particularly good but I understand the primary reason for their high prices isnt their captive market but the high rent they are charged for their premises and other station retail suffers the same experience. I.e. the rent charged is closer to that of airport retail rather than high street retail.

 

[island]

I would like to see more competition to Pumpkin and Upper Crust, neither of which I think are particularly good but I understand the primary reason for their high prices isnt their captive market but the high rent they are charged for their premises and other station retail suffers the same experience. I.e. the rent charged is closer to that of airport retail rather than high street retail.

That’s the free market for you

 

[bussnapperwm]

All main stations need a greasy spoon doing fry-ups.

That and a chippy

 

[yorksrob]

That and a chippy

Indeed. I noticed that Man Pic now has a chippy on the station approach !