Station buffet facilities - should there be more control over opening times.

[yorksrob]

We've all been there. We're at a reasonably important station, we've changed from another train with no facilities - it's past seven in the evening - disaster, all the buffets are closed !!

Should large station buffets be run more along the lines of motorway service stations - there'll always be something to eat somewhere !

 

[Iskra]

Are you prepared to pay even higher prices to fund this?

They are closed due to lack of demand, as people shift to alcohol or full meals rather than snacks and coffee during the day so there’s less money to be made.

 

[yorksrob]

Are you prepared to pay even higher prices to fund this?

They are closed due to lack of demand, as people shift to alcohol or full meals rather than snacks and coffee during the day so there’s less money to be made.

The problem is, often everything in surrounding area is often also closed at the same time.

The station I'm thinking of has two buffets. Could arrangements be made between the two to alternate ?

 

[Iskra]

The problem is, often everything in surrounding area is often also closed at the same time.

The station I'm thinking of has two buffets. Could arrangements be made between the two to alternate ?

That all further points to a lack of demand.

Where is this station?

 

[yorksrob]

That all further points to a lack of demand.

Where is this station?

I think it would be unfair to name and shame the particular station !

But its far enough away from shops etc for it to be a bit of a pain !

 

[mrcheek]

if the demand was there, the facilities would remain open. but they cant afford to pay staff to sit there doing nothing all evening just in case one person comes along and wants a sandwich.

As was observed earlier in the thread, its the same reason that the local shops will also be shut.

You cant force shops to stay open if there is no demand. If you do, costs would soar, and in the end, they would shut altogether, even at busy times

 

[Dr Hoo]

I think it would be unfair to name and shame the particular station !

But its far enough away from shops etc for it to be a bit of a pain !

Sounds like Wakefield Kirkgate (knowing the poster’s general travel pattern) .

 

[yorksrob]

Sounds like Wakefield Kirkgate (knowing the poster’s general travel pattern) .

Nice try, but it's not

To be fair, given the state of the place twenty years ago, I'm grateful to have anything there !

 

[yorksrob]

Perhaps with the newfound interest in nationalisation, SSP can be persuaded to keep business hours that closer reflect the railway (or alternatively removed).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

if the demand was there, the facilities would remain open. but they cant afford to pay staff to sit there doing nothing all evening just in case one person comes along and wants a sandwich.

As was observed earlier in the thread, its the same reason that the local shops will also be shut.

You cant force shops to stay open if there is no demand. If you do, costs would soar, and in the end, they would shut altogether, even at busy times

Well you could if providing a certain service was felt to be sufficiently important, enough to outweigh the costs incurred. The rent an operator would be prepared to pay would be reflected in those unprofitable hours they are 'forced' to open which they otherwise wouldn't. It may be that those extra costs lead to a negative rent ie someone has to be paid to operate the facility.

Motorway Services - the proper ones, not the pretend ones that happen to be next to a motorway junction, sign up to a contract that requires certain facilities to be available 24/7/365. No reason the railway couldn't insist on the same.

One first step would be advertising the opening times of units and then sticking to those times. I noticed the (original) catering outlet at Stoke has papered over the opening times on the brass plaque with no indication I could see of their opening hours.

 

[BlueLeanie]

Can't you have Deliveroo or Just Eat delivered to the station?

 

[station_road]

Perhaps with the newfound interest in nationalisation, SSP can be persuaded to keep business hours that closer reflect the railway (or alternatively removed).

Stoke on Trent has two outlets not run by SSP (as well as two that are) but they also both close at 7pm most days - one (the bar) stays open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday. If there was any significant demand for later opening, you would expect one of those would stay open later.

 

[dk1]

Perhaps with the newfound interest in nationalisation, SSP can be persuaded to keep business hours that closer reflect the railway (or alternatively removed).

Unfortunately I doubt it.

 

[Mikey C]

I'd rather have a convenience store open at the station.

 

[yorksrob]

Stoke on Trent has two outlets not run by SSP (as well as two that are) but they also both close at 7pm most days - one (the bar) stays open until 8pm on Friday and Saturday. If there was any significant demand for later opening, you would expect one of those would stay open later.

Unfortunately I doubt it.

Bar type establishments do have the benefit of staying open later. Perhaps we need more of those.

I'd rather have a convenience store open at the station.

Yes, that would be good for food

 

[Zomboid]

I wonder if it's a case of there's never been a service so there's no apparent demand, or that someone has actually tried to operate some kind of shop and it's been shown that there's no demand.

I also think there might be scope for vending machines, one thing that struck me in Japan was that in populated areas you're almost never more than a few minutes from a chance to buy water or a bizarre watermelon flavoured drink... Not as good as a proper shop, but at least you'd have some hope of getting a drink and some crisps.

 

[greatkingrat]

Can't you have Deliveroo or Just Eat delivered to the station?

If you had a very long connection maybe. But in most cases you can't be sure the food would arrive before your connecting train leaves.

 

[BlueLeanie]

I wonder if it's a case of there's never been a service so there's no apparent demand, or that someone has actually tried to operate some kind of shop and it's been shown that there's no demand.

I also think there might be scope for vending machines, one thing that struck me in Japan was that in populated areas you're almost never more than a few minutes from a chance to buy water or a bizarre watermelon flavoured drink... Not as good as a proper shop, but at least you'd have some hope of getting a drink and some crisps.

Are there any key interchange stations that don't have a Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, or Coop on the premises, or within a 500 metre walk of the station.

Because that is one of the key issues, the offsite stores are bound to be significantly cheaper than on-station premises.

So anyone price savvy and killing time is going to walk to Sainsbury's for a £5 meal deal for not much more than a bottle of coke in a buffet.

The trade drops as everyone who isn't vulnerable or price insensitive goes there instead.

It's a bit like the catering trolleys on the trains. I can buy an M&S meal deal at the station. The ice cold drink keeping the sarnie cool in my bag. I've no idea how many hours the sandwiches on the train catering trolley have been ambient for. Provenance every time with my IBS.

 

[6Gman]

Didn't Adonis raise this years ago when he was a transport minister? Found himself at Southampton (I think it was) one evening and nowhere open.

Simple answer. Write it into the letting agreement. But be prepared to take a hit on income because the operator will need to meet the additional cost.

 

[yorksrob]

Are there any key interchange stations that don't have a Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, or Coop on the premises, or within a 500 metre walk of the station.

Because that is one of the key issues, the offsite stores are bound to be significantly cheaper than on-station premises.

So anyone price savvy and killing time is going to walk to Sainsbury's for a £5 meal deal for not much more than a bottle of coke in a buffet.

The trade drops as everyone who isn't vulnerable or price insensitive goes there instead.

It's a bit like the catering trolleys on the trains. I can buy an M&S meal deal at the station. The ice cold drink keeping the sarnie cool in my bag. I've no idea how many hours the sandwiches on the train catering trolley have been ambient for. Provenance every time with my IBS.

But the trolley would be able to do a hot cuppa !

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Apr 2025 ==

Didn't Adonis raise this years ago when he was a transport minister? Found himself at Southampton (I think it was) one evening and nowhere open.

Simple answer. Write it into the letting agreement. But be prepared to take a hit on income because the operator will need to meet the additional cost.

Yes, he did.

I guess the problem is that these places are such a useful cash cow NR wouldn't want to take the cash hit.

 

[dk1]

Bar type establishments do have the benefit of staying open later. Perhaps we need more of those.

Yes, we always need more bars

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, we always need more bars

If they could do a basic sandwich or some such as well, that would be perfect !