Tearooms, Cycle Cafes, and Clarion Caterers

These premises took on a variety of forms, ranging from the front room of a spinster’s cottage; an out-building or kitchen of a farm; a converted or purpose-built wooden shed, the church hall, or even something as simple as a serving hatch in the door or an open window of an enterprising householder.

Webb’s

The roots of our traditional cyclist’s tearooms and cafés can be traced back to the growth of the railway network in the midnineteenth century, before the invention of the bicycle. It was the advent of cheap passenger trains that gave families of thousands of factory, mine and millworkers a passport to the countryside and the chance to breathe some fresh air away from the smoke, muck and grim that polluted the rapidly expanding industrial towns. Soon areas of local beauty, often by some water feature, or of some historical interest became popular destinations for hundreds, often thousands of day trippers. It was to meet this demand that the first teashops began to open, usually serving nothing more than cups of tea.

Initially few would serve any form of food partially due to outlay costs and lack of storage added to which most visitors would being their own picnic lunch. Many of these would eventually go on to expand into the cafes and restaurants we see today, some retaining the name of the original, long deceased owner.

‘Wandervogel’ and the Interwar years Wandervogel, was the name given to a popular German youth movement at the end of the 19th century whose aim was to commune with nature by going hiking, camping and exploring the countryside. This movement grew rapidly after the First World War and soon spread throughout western Europe. In Britain, the inter-war years saw the introduction of cheap rail fares and excursions trains soon took thousands out of the towns and cities at weekends in a quest for the outdoors, fresh air, and adventure. This coupled with the government’s decision to build hundreds of miles of paved, protected cycle lanes opened areas of the countryside which once would have been beyond reach. Hiking, camping, cycling, and youth hostelling all expanded in the 1930s. It was in this period that cycling in Britain reached its peak and not surprisingly this boom to get out into the country led to a corresponding growth in tearooms and small cafes. At first the range of refreshments were very limited but once a regular customer base was established the fare on offer grew from pots of steaming tea and homemade drop scones or jam butties to cooked breakfasts of bacon and eggs or beans on toast. Mugs of Oxo or hot Vimto became popular drinks for thirsty cyclists.

In 1933 the National Clarion Cycling Club purchased 500 Clarion Caterer signs to be distributed to establishments known to give a satisfactory service to cyclists By the end of the following year 49 of these red and white enamel signs had been distributed teas. Yet others have survived like The Dalesman in Gargrave still used by Road Clubs from both west Yorkshire and east Lancashire.

The 1937 Clarion Handbook states:

‘Members are advised to mention that they belong to the Clarion C.C., in order that they may obtain any special facilities offered’

‘The average charge for Tea is only 4d per head, and any higher charges should be reported to the Handbook Secretary.’

The Golden Age of Cycling and cafes Whilst cycling may have peaked in Britain in the 1930’s the Golden Age for road cycling was the period from the late 1940’s to the early 1970’s when weekly Club runs, often of 50 plus riders, would halt at least one café or teashop stop during the day.

Why not join us on Clarion Sunday, June 11th at Clarion House for a pint pot of tea (cost 70p) served the traditional way as it has been every Sunday since 1912?

Club Cottage, Burnham Green, Herts (now closed) Sadly, many of these traditional café have now fallen victim to the converted farmhouse restaurants or garden centre cafés with gifts shop, barista coffee and herbal

Cycle Café spotters guide:

1. Vintage steel frame bike, you wished you owned, hanging from the ceiling.

2. Framed jersey of famous racing cyclist who once allegedly called in for a Latte

3. Walls plastered in 1950’s Tour de France cycle posters.

4. A very expensive range of coffees, some with marshmallows and herbal teas.

5. Strava user, checking his heart rate and searching for some ego boosting kudos

6. The Café pros who always occupy the warmest, most draught free seats and chat

7. The serious riders who really have just done 90 miles and still look fresh!

8. The cyclists dressed and talking like serious riders having done just under 10 miles needing every one of their 36 gears.

9. The veteran cyclists, recognisable by the racing caps and lace up leather shoes.

10. The sad ‘Billy No Mates’ cyclist sat alone with his mobile phone, longing for a call.