Bikers who regularly visit Shropshire cafe react to news of its impending closure

Shropshire Star

Watch Bikers who regularly visit Shropshire cafe react to news of its impending closure - Shropshire Star on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00So I'm here at the food stop cafe, near Bridge North,

00:29with Alistair Norman, the biker.

00:33Alistair, how long have you been coming here,

00:35and what makes it special?

00:37Oh, Lord.

00:40I've been coming here probably on and off since the 70s.

00:45Special, it's just somewhere which everywhere meets.

00:49Everyone comes down here, they'll meet up.

00:50You talk to anybody.

00:52It's a regular stop for people

00:53if they're going to ride out into Wales,

00:55either going or coming back.

00:57Stop here, have a bite to eat,

00:59and carry on to wherever they're going to.

01:01And what do you think you'll miss most about coming here?

01:06Just the chance of somewhere to ride out on a weekend,

01:08have a bite to eat, sit and chit-chat,

01:10talk to other bikers, just enjoy the view,

01:15and a good sandwich.

01:17Okay, and what sandwich have you gone for there?

01:19That's bacon and sausage.

01:20Okay, out of 10?

01:22Oh, got to be a 10.

01:28So I'm with Dave Perks here at the Food Stop Cafe, Bridge North.

01:33Dave, talk me through your bike.

01:35This is a bit of a beast, isn't it?

01:37This is an old 1987 Harley Sportster,

01:40which I bought when I was 21, so that's 18 months ago.

01:42Well, I'd like to think anyway, but it isn't.

01:45I've had it many, many years now.

01:46It never let me down.

01:47It's a great bike.

01:48It's a great bike.

01:49It's a great bike.

01:50It's a great bike.

01:51It's a great bike.

01:52It's a great bike.

01:53It's a great bike.

01:54It's a great bike.

01:55It's a great bike.

01:56It never let me down.

01:57But, yeah, still going as am I.

02:00Nice.

02:01Where are you from and where are you going today?

02:04From Kidderminster, and I'm only going on,

02:07just going to have a little ride around today.

02:09Take this for something.

02:11You always get one, don't you, starter?

02:13And so we're at the Food Stop Cafe.

02:16How long have you been coming here and what makes it a special place?

02:22Well, we've been coming here for about 20-odd years now,

02:26and it's just been such a fantastic place to come.

02:29You meet all kinds of people here.

02:32I've sat with guys who are millionaires, business owners,

02:37and I've sat with guys who have been riding in on ancient bikes

02:41that are just literally held together with cap and tape.

02:43And there's a great sort of sense of camaraderie here,

02:48and everyone just comes here and is happy to have a chat,

02:53have a coffee, and just share their life experiences with you.

02:56I mean, you could write so many books on the stories you hear.

03:01I've sat here with backpatch bikers from clubs,

03:06and, you know, these guys have got reputations,

03:09but we sat here on a nice sunny day.

03:12They chilled out and you just chat to these guys.

03:14And like I say, everyone's human.

03:16I shall miss the place really, really well,

03:18but I understand why it's got to close down.

03:21I think nobody stays the same, unfortunately,

03:23but it would be a great loss to the whole BikingArea community.

03:27Yeah, some people here have been saying

03:30that other places will be doing the breakfast,

03:33but it might be a case of the regular crew that come here

03:37might be a bit split up between various cafes.

03:41I think you'll miss seeing all the same faces

03:45sort of on the weekends.

03:49Coming here, I've never met so many...

03:51This is one place where I've sat with so many strangers

03:55and just chatted than anywhere else ever in my life, really.

04:00But like you say, yeah, I'm sure people will just split

04:03to different places closer or further away,

04:05depending on where they want to go, and it'll be a shame.

04:08It's just a shame that this place can't carry on

04:11in some other version, keep it all together.

04:14But yeah, I'll miss some of the old places, I'm sure.

04:18I'd like to think they'll miss me as well.

04:32So I'm here with Shelly Pinky Pew

04:35and her little friend, Trike Rat, at the food stop cafe.

04:41Just having a chat to people here, really, about the cafe

04:45and how they feel about it closing down.

04:48Talk to me, Shelly, how long have you been coming here?

04:51I have been coming here literally for decades.

04:54For as long as we go back in its aid.

04:57This guy has worked so hard for so many years,

05:02the most integral part of the Viking community in this area.

05:07He's been known to open up even on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day.

05:12If the gang says they're coming up, he'll open for us.

05:17He's opened up early on mornings when there's a big event out.

05:22You just couldn't ask for a friendlier Viking meeting place.

05:27And it's always good value.

05:30And so what's your breakfast of choice

05:33that normally you would go for here then?

05:35Usually bacon and mushroom potty.

05:38Is that a 10 out of 10 selection?

05:41Absolutely.

05:42And what about...

05:43And it's always a bit of sausage, really.

05:46Karen is a bad influence on the dog, isn't it?

05:49Always the odd sausage that might have been a little bit overcooked

05:53so the dogs will have to share it.

05:57And how does Trike Rat enjoy life on the road?

06:01Oh, he absolutely loves it.

06:03He goes everywhere, does everything.

06:06Bikes for life, different Santa rides all over Christmas.

06:12Very size Trike, the one I'm on at the moment.

06:16He just keeps me going while the big one's being fixed.

06:21Because he just can't stand not being out in the community.

06:25He is a true little biker.

06:33That's it.

Category

Transcript

Recommended