have heard that the great cafe / bike shop Look Mum No Hands has closed -
our first stop on any trip the London, quick Boris bike ride along the canal and there it was..... the staff were also great, as the food and coffee....
seems lack of foot fall - home working affecting this....
follows Bristols Roll for the Soul........
so, weres your favourite cafe? maybe we all need to to visit them more to avoid more closures........
Ride in Banchory, Spider on a bicycle Aboyne are two localish to me that I enjoy.
Awkward, they are still on the GoDaddy ads…
Blimey. I was in and out of there quite a bit at the end of November as I was working nearby, and it seemed as busy as ever,
Sad...
But just the cafe, according to what I read? The workshop wasn't mentioned.
But just the cafe, according to what I read? The workshop wasn’t mentioned.
On their Instagram...
Everything is closed - workshop, cafe and shop.
Real shame, it was a nice place - that sort of organised chaos that often accompanies diverse cycling places. Local to me, Apus Peak a rather upmarket cycling cafe, workshop and event space in Knutsford has just closed - I'd have thought that being right next to Tatton Park and in a relatively affluent area, it would have been the perfect location but apparently not.
I went a few times, a bit out of my way so not a regular.
London footfall is down tho, also, coffee prices...I paid 3.90 for a coffee at bar Italia. It is good but really at the limit to what I d pay.
Shame I really like indie cafés suppose it's just the economics.
There has been several popular and busy pubs near me close over the last few weeks - one of which is over 300 years old.
As i understand it from friends in the food/drink industry the numbers just don't add up at the moment - spiralling energy and stock costs have made it almost impossible to turn in a profit.
Bye bye race team too.
Cinnamon Bun cafe in Windsor is very friendly to cyclists. It’s also an independent cafe rather than a chain. And the rent in the centre of Windsor is exorbitant. So recommended for the warm iced errrr cinnamon buns! Easy bike storage too.
Spoke Cycles CC just north of welwyn garden city is a very similar place/vibe to LMNH
Their motto "<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Where riding is a way of life, repair is a radical act and hanging out the whole point.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"</span>
Down a farm track in a sleepy village so you feel safe leaving a bike outside. Massive outdoor and indoor space, always warm / welcoming. Just a really nice vibe!
Most local clubs regularly end up there, especially in the summer. And a lot of people ride up out of London to there because it's a nice half way point on a decent route. Nice community feel and you are always guaranteed to see friendly faces you know from the local cycling/mtb community there! As I'm sure was the same with LMNH - the vibe and ethos etc isn't an accident.
In the summer they run super popular gravel rides every Wednesday evening.
Cinnamon Bun cafe in Windsor is very friendly to cyclists
+1 - discount for cyclists, tools, bike racks. Just a shame you have to ride into the middle of Windsor to get there, I need to find a better route for a visit.
Another indie worth a visit is the Manor Farm Tea Room in Seale - friendly and quick service with a suntrap courtyard ideal for a spring day.
Oh and my mini review of Wellington Farm Shop Cafe - great cake but never been impressed by the service.
[url="https://www.thevelobarn.co.uk/"]The Velo Barn[/url] near Westerham is great little place. Good coffee and cakes, helpful workshop and always worth a stop if you're riding out that way.
The Velo Barn near Westerham is great little place.
I went there for the first time about 3 or 4 months ago, couldn't believe how busy it was, everyone a cyclist too. The place was heaving with lycra!
The owner appears to be having more luck than he had when he had Cyclery on Westerham village green. Yeah nice place, as was Cyclery, but a bit too close to Croydon to make it a very viable coffee stop for my club unfortunately.
Milk Churn at Rudgwick. Controversial but never been totally impressed by the cakes but the cheese on toast is brilliant. One round or two? Neither should be the answer as it repeats all the way back over the hill to Guildford, but do I learn <buurrrrpppp>
Is there not a tv ad for that shop doing the rounds just now? I think it is for a website creation company of sorts...
The GoDaddy ad i mentioned up there 👆 😉
Ah yes, that is odd as I didn't spot that when I read the thread, hence me posting...but yeah...that advert.
If you're in the Chilterns then Spire & Spoke in Watlington is always a good place for a visit.
The coffee's good, so I'm told, but the cakes and pizzas are outstanding. It's a regular spot for a post ride pizza and beer during the summer months.
RIP Stella's Tea Room down the bottom of Holford Combe.
Couple of good ones round here:
The Barn / No Car Cafe at Turville Heath
Velolife
London footfall is down tho, also, coffee prices…I paid 3.90 for a coffee at bar Italia. It is good but really at the limit to what I d pay.
Presumably in European countries where "staples" like bread and coffee are price fixed this then has a knock on effect on town center rents? Otherwise how are they selling espresso for <2euro*.
Espresso for €2? that's city prices, in our village Espresso is still €1 Cortado €1.30 and Con Leche €1.50 my BiL in Cornwall searches all over for coffee and cake for less than £5 when he's out riding. Here in Cataluña we struggle to get the bill up to that.
Cafe Velo Verde at Screveton - though closed for holidays till 21 Feb
Love it at Spokes, sitting out the back watchig the goats is very much my happy place.
Proper miffed about LMNH though, they had a really good thing going on there for a while.
Had a few nice coffees at lmnh. Shame
if you like ride and spider on a bicycle - get thee self to park shop* for the best coffee in the shire - if Chas is on the coffees.
the bread guy pies are top too. We coffee on the way back to culter now for that reason
* now with added pergola covered seating area out back
Never. been to lmnh but a shame to hear it's gone.
My regular haunt is the Bikebus at Horse Shoe Farm, Astwood Rd, Bourne End, Cranfield, MK43 0AU,
A converted double decker bus a run by a former kiwi pro cyclist.
Great vibe and can be busy. Prices are very reasonable and believe me you need a good long ride to earn enough cake points for the portion size!!
Is the velo barn open on Sundays now...last time I went there about 2 years ago beautiful Sunday morning and it was shut , had to go to some crappy village cafe/shop...terrible coffee but the bacon roll was OK....
From memory the velo barn does a wicked bacon roll and perfect coffee
