Pumpkin cafes closed for good?

[RHolmes]

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

It’s been open throughout this year ever since the original lockdown in March, it’s current opening times are shorter and it’s open 6am to 12 noon

 

[yorksrob]

It’s been open throughout this year ever since the original lockdown in March, it’s current opening times are shorter and it’s open 6am to 12 noon

Ah brill. I've had the fry up a couple of times since lockdown 1, but I will use it now as well !

 

[theironroad]

There is a maccy's at waterloo down the escalator of exit 2 on Waterloo road next to jubilee line. Quite small but in pre c days very busy at night, especially when football or concerts on.

Still open at moment for takeaway only (or as a courier delivery hub)

 

[johnnychips]

Has Stalybridge station buffet managed to survive?

 

[dk1]

McDonalds at Liverpool Street too.

 

[Metal_gee_man]

There is a maccy's at waterloo down the escalator of exit 2 on Waterloo road next to jubilee line. Quite small but in pre c days very busy at night, especially when football or concerts on.

Still open at moment for takeaway only (or as a courier delivery hub)

Of course, I forgot it was there because it wasn't up on the main concourse!

McDonalds at Liverpool Street too.

And with the Liverpool St one I didn't know if it counted as it was outside the station but yeah thats a good shout

 

[Revaulx]

Has Stalybridge station buffet managed to survive?

Very much so, though it’s had to close for the latest lockdown.

 

[Steddenm]

Leeds also has a McD from what I can remember. Heuston Station in Dublin has a Supermacs. We need those over here!

 

[Bald Rick]

Much of the above mis-understands how the station retail market works.

At smaller stations, the retail unit(s) is/are either put on the market, and the highest bidder wins (like buying a house), or often it is an enterprising local who suggests something to the station operator and a deal is done.

At larger stations, the units are marketed as above, but they are carefully planned to deliver a mix of retail, otherwise you’d just end up with coffee shops as that is what has the biggest margin (there’s too many tales of ‘coffee barrow’ owners earning 6 figures for this not to be the case). So that’s why you get places like McDonalds, which will pay lower base rents, but attract people to the station where they may use other shops, or even get on a train. Having said that, the McDs at Liverpool St used to be the busiest in the country (Mon-Fri). Not sure if it still is.

And it’s a great strategy; the revenue that NRs managed stations bring in was performing well ahead of the general retail market up until Covid struck.

And whilst people may moan about high prices etc, the fact is that no one is forcing anyone to buy any of it.

 

[yorksrob]

I think more big stations should take a leaf out of Hull Paragon's book and get a good independant cafe in.

Leeds, this means you.

 

[davetheguard]

Very much so, though it’s had to close for the latest lockdown.

That's one of the best bits of news I've heard for a while. Stalybridge station buffet is a fantastic institution.

 

[route101]

Glasgow Central had a Mexican Burrito place, was a small local chain but didnt last long and is now a Pret.

 

[SteveM70]

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?

As long as they have a parking space for my penny farthing, don’t mind me wearing a tweed jacket, russet jeans and a dicky bow, and serve the tea in a jam jar

 

[DB]

As long as they have a parking space for my penny farthing, don’t mind me wearing a tweed jacket, russet jeans and a dicky bow, and serve the tea in a jam jar

And the food on a breadboard,with chips in a miniature shopping trolley...

 

[route101]

Few hipster places ive been, the service i received was cold ! I do wonder if i dressed like a hipster, that would change.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

There is the unfortunately named ceral killer in London where a bowl of muesli costs a queens ransom

 

[Bald Rick]

Glasgow Central had a Mexican Burrito place, was a small local chain but didnt last long and is now a Pret.

SSP has a Burrito brand going for a while, then stopped it when it wasn’t making money. I suspect that was what you saw.

 

[route101]

SSP has a Burrito brand going for a while, then stopped it when it wasn’t making money. I suspect that was what you saw.

Was a place called Taco Mazama, theres two in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh. Not sure if they are SSP, only local.

 

[Intercity91]

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

I still miss the Black Cherry Milkshake you could get from Casey Jones...

 

[Trackman]

There is the unfortunately named ceral killer in London where a bowl of muesli costs a queens ransom

Cereal Killer on Brick lane?
It's shut for good now.

 

[route101]

Cereal Killer on Brick lane?
It's shut for good now.

One in Grand Central, Birmingham too.

 

[RailWonderer]

Something along the lines of Lady Foley's tea room at Great Malvern would suit some other stations well. Who wouldn't like hot cakes and pasteries, hot and cold drinks and refreshments with on-platform service? Only at stations with high turnover and affluent enough because prices would be a bit high.

 

[skyhigh]

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.

I'm not 100% sure that's the case, I'm sure I've paid varying prices at different branches - pre-covid a white coffee used to range between about £1.19-1.69 depending on location.

 

[Ianno87]

I'm not 100% sure that's the case, I'm sure I've paid varying prices at different branches - pre-covid a white coffee used to range between about £1.19-1.69 depending on location.

The two McDonalds's in Cambridge (one city centre, one out of town) definitely charge different prices.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm not 100% sure that's the case, I'm sure I've paid varying prices at different branches - pre-covid a white coffee used to range between about £1.19-1.69 depending on location.

£1.69 is a latte so you were probably charged incorrectly.

The two McDonalds's in Cambridge (one city centre, one out of town) definitely charge different prices.

Well...I didn't believe you so I checked them both on the McD's app, and the city centre one is indeed slightly (but not much) more expensive. For comparison, a McChicken BLT meal is £5.29 at that one but £5.09 at the outer one.

That's a substantial change in policy from the past - I wonder when it changed? Perhaps when they started being in motorway services?

 

[scrapy]

£1.69 is a latte so you were probably charged incorrectly.



Well...I didn't believe you so I checked them both on the McD's app, and the city centre one is indeed slightly (but not much) more expensive. For comparison, a McChicken BLT meal is £5.29 at that one but £5.09 at the outer one.

That's a substantial change in policy from the past - I wonder when it changed? Perhaps when they started being in motorway services?

Yes it seems their pound saver menu is a fixed price but other items vary. It doesn't always follow that motorway or city centre locations are the most expensive either and these locations take the discount vouchers that are often printed in Metro whereas drive thrus don't.

Mc Donald's franchised restaurants have always been free to set their own prices (it would be illegal for McDonalds to force them to charge the same) but as they used to only made up around 10% of the total they generally fell into line with the company owned ones had a set price nationwide.

Over the last 10 years almost all the restaurants have been franchised so there is not one standard price although where a RRP is advertised nationally it would be bad business to charge more.

 

[IanXC]

I've been trying to make a point of using station retailers of late, 'use it or loose it and all that' but I must say the experience hasn't been great.

The last time I ventured into an SSP establishment for example I ended up in a farcical circular situation while trying to order a large tea. My order was met with the question of 'what size', and immediately a demonstration of the cup sizes, my response of 'large' was met again with 'what size' and a demonstration and so on. When I finally got my hands on it it had one tea bag in it and was 1/3 milk.

As far as I'm concerned SSP are in last chance saloon, I shall try to stick to making use of other station retailers tho.

 

[route101]

The Burger Kings on stations are more expensive and don't feature saver menu.
The one in Glasgow Central reopened briefly but has shut again.

 

[Djgr]

Much of the above mis-understands how the station retail market works.

At smaller stations, the retail unit(s) is/are either put on the market, and the highest bidder wins (like buying a house), or often it is an enterprising local who suggests something to the station operator and a deal is done.

At larger stations, the units are marketed as above, but they are carefully planned to deliver a mix of retail, otherwise you’d just end up with coffee shops as that is what has the biggest margin (there’s too many tales of ‘coffee barrow’ owners earning 6 figures for this not to be the case). So that’s why you get places like McDonalds, which will pay lower base rents, but attract people to the station where they may use other shops, or even get on a train. Having said that, the McDs at Liverpool St used to be the busiest in the country (Mon-Fri). Not sure if it still is.

And it’s a great strategy; the revenue that NRs managed stations bring in was performing well ahead of the general retail market up until Covid struck.

And whilst people may moan about high prices etc, the fact is that no one is forcing anyone to buy any of it.

Essentially a distressed purchase scenario, I get it. But if everyone says that it's all a bit rubbish I would challenge describing it as a great strategy. Great for whom? The traveller?

 

[mawallace]

Per SSP Groups Trading update in September:-

Across the Group, we have now re-opened just over a third, approximately 1,100, of our units, which
is ahead of the expectations we set at the Interim results in June. Our approach to unit openings
continues to be systematic, with units and sites only being opened selectively and where they will
achieve break-even levels of sales, even at low levels of passenger activity.

now this 'one third' is across the world - rather than UK. - but note their strategy - only to open sites where they will break even at low activity levels - that probably rules most sites on the smaller / medium stations out!