The growth of cafe culture in Pontefract and Castleford - new businesses are thriving

When it comes to dining out in the five towns there is plenty of choice with restaurants and cafes opening up despite the knock the hospitality trade has taken throughout the pandemic.
Pontefract and Castleford have lots of independent cafes, bars and restaurantsPontefract and Castleford have lots of independent cafes, bars and restaurants
Pontefract and Castleford have lots of independent cafes, bars and restaurants

Tripadviser, the often quoted online barometer of popular opinion, lists 287 eateries in the towns and surrounding villages which range from traditional tea rooms and cafes to multinational chains and everything in between.

The majority claim to serve what is loosely termed British food but there are also Thai, Turkish, Indian, French Chinese, Italian and American-inspired menus to choose from.

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Calvin Tudge has recently taken over the popular Cromwells Restaurant and Tea Room in Maud’s Yard, Pontefract.

He said: “Since the end of lockdown it’s got busier and busier. It’s bounced back completely and lots of cafes and bistros are popping up in the town.

“The more the better - there seems to be a cafe culture now and Pontefract is undergoing something of a renaissance.”

Mr Tudge added: “Down our little alleyway there’s DJ’s across the road, then there’s Mauds Cafe but we don’t compete, we all offer something different.

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“We have different opening times and so one tends to draw the other one in.

Leeds Beckett University academic Dr Rachel Rich, the editor of the Food & History journal, agrees. She said: “Recently there has been this growth of cafe culture and I think that’s been a kind of saving grace for dying high streets.

“Even if people aren’t shopping so much face to face any more, people still want to convene in high streets and you can make profit from getting them there to eat and drink.”

In Ledsham, a village on the outskirts of Castleford, The Chequers Inn has a history that can be traced back to 1540 and can lay claim to being one of the longest-standing food-led pubs in the area.

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Landlady Amanda Wraith said: “Obviously we were, like everyone else, affected by the lockdown and the changes we had to make to how we operate.

“I think in terms of coming out of the other side of it, yes, we are seeing that there is a glimmer of hope.

“As a business we have been very lucky to have a very loyal strong core of regulars who have been desperate to get back.

“Once we were allowed to open again they were still, on the whole very keen to come back.

“By and large you can see the confidence coming back.”

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Moo Café at Farmer Copleys has also bounced back since restrictions were lifted, said marketing coordinator Ted Newton.

He added: “We always worked hard to be the place where people would feel safe visiting during the pandemic having extra space, additional cleaning, staff wearing facemasks etc and I feel this was reflected in the amount of people who came along during this time who saw us as a place they could trust.”

“Since face mask requirements were dropped we seem to be busier than ever in Moo.

“People want to have a bit of normality again and spend time with friends and family whom they haven’t had a chance to see for so long.

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“I know this is the same among other farm shop cafes across the country and I’d imagine this would be a similar story in other local businesses who adapted and went the extra mile when people needed them the most.

“People seem to be actively supporting these business more than they previously would have, which is fantastic to see.”

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