uk.railway FAQ |
This is a guide to the nearest sandwich shops / pub / chippy / take away to stations. These details have been send in by readers of the uk.railway newsgroup and not from any official source.
For each stations there are the following entries where know:
Buffet: Any buffet or take-away food retailers on the station. Unless shown otherwise on the station concourse.
Retail: Food / confectionery retailers on the station. Unless shown otherwise on the station concourse.
M&S / Tesco Metro / Boots: Directions to the nearest quality sandwich retailer.
Pub: Directions to the nearest pub.
Chippy: Directions to the nearest chip shop.
Unless shown otherwise walking time is less than five minutes.
Sunday opening
Unless shown otherwise all buffets and retailers on the stations open seven days a week.
Sunday opening for M&S / Tesco / Boots shown where known.
WHSmith / John Menzies stores
Only some WHSmith / John Menzies stores at stations sell sandwiches. Those that do are
marked SS and those that don't NS. Where the position is unknown no symbol is shown
(please email me if you know). All WHSmith / John Menzies stores sell a selection of
confectionery / crisps / drinks.
John Menzies stores are in the process of being rebadged as WHSmith stores, following their take over. Therefore JM stores listed in this guide may now be WHS stores.
Key
P4: On Platform 4
OS: Opens Sundays
CS: Closed Sundays
SS: Sandwiches sold
NS: No sandwiches
LHS: Left hand side
RHS: Right hand side
If you can provide details for other stations then please send them to mailto:%20railinfo@bigfoot.com
Please put the station name on the first list with the each category on a separate line. Here is an example for Reading:
Reading
Buffet: Upper Crust, Pizza Hut Express, Le Croissant, AMT, Costa Coffee, Quick Snack and
Lemon Tree.
Retail: WHSmith, Boots (CS) and H.P. Food and Wine. All sell sandwiches.
M&S: Out main entrance, over crossing, turn left, straight on at roundabout, turn left
at traffic lights onto Friar Street. Entrance on your right. OS
Pub: On platform 4. Others on the way to M&S.
If you are sending detail for more than one station please leave a few blank likes between them. It doesn't matter if you can't provide a complete guide for each station even partial details are better than nothing.
Thanks.
Ascot
Sandwich Shop: Budgens on shopping parade (over 5 minutes walk)
Pub: Opposite station. Also sells coffee
Aylesbury
Buffet: name ? CS
Balham
Buffet: Puccino's P1/2
Birmingham New Street Buffet: Quick Snack (on several of the platforms,
but usually closed), Quick Snack (overbridge), station pub, Burger King
Retail: John Menzies, Off Licence, Millies Cookies, sweet shop
M&S: up escalators, turn left, turn right, straight on, turn right at Burton,
straight ahead (lower ground floor).
Boots: up escalators & turn right. Speedy
Pub: on station, Newt & Cucumber (apparently crap), up escalators, left, right
and on right of ramp
Fast Food:Burger King - on station, McDonalds - as Newt & Cucumber, on ramp. Bracknell
Buffet: Kiosk. Kebab van every evening, turn left from station entrance or gate
(after 7pm)
Retail: Kiosk in station, open peak hours. Sainsburys: in Princess Square arcade.
Turn right outside station, follow footpath under road, round bus station, under another
bridge and into shopping centre. Boots as above.
Pub: Something and Firkin, immediately across road. Red Lion, turn left out of
station and follow road. At end of road turn right.
Chippy: None nearby.
Bristol Temple Meads
Buffet: Quicksnack P3(inc bar), P7 and P11/12(inc bar). AMT Espresso in subway.
Retail: John Menzies near P3 in booking hall (SS).
Pub: The Reckless Engineer: out of main entrance, down ramp, cross Temple Gate.
Fleece and Firkin (good beer): as for Reckless Eng. Above, turn right. Take second exit at
large roundabout (Victoria street), short walk, take third right. Others: Temple Meads is
a good distance from the city centre. All major take aways, pubs and food stores can be
accessed via bus routes 8 and 9 from the station forecourt.
Broadbottom
Pub: In the old station buildings on the Hadfield platform. Serves food all day
Clapham Junction
Buffet: Quicksnack P5/6 & P15/16, Cafe Select P13/14
Crianlarich (W.Highland line)
Privately-run tea-room on platform.
Crewe
Buffet: Quick Snack P5
Retail: John Menzies on P5, P6 and on station overbridge. NS
Pub: P6/P11. Others: turn left at the station entrance onto Nantwich Road; on right
hand side of Nantwich Road (in order from the station) are:
Down Mill St are:
Chippy: The Golden Fry (take away only) - corner Nantwich Road & Gresty Road;
Salt & Vinegar (take away & eat in) - corner of Nantwich Road & Mill St -
beyond the traffic lights; Full Bellies (take away & eat in) - Nantwich Road and
Cotterill St (small side street on right); Gresty Road Chip Stop (take away) - Gresty
Road, opposite the football ground.
Sandwich shop: Harvey's (just past the "Pig").
Take away pizzas: The Pizza Place - corner Nantwich Road and Wood St; Gino's
Dial-a-Pizza (01270 582082) - Nantwich Road, just past the Edleston Road junction).
Take away Chinese: Lam's, next to "The Bank".
Take away kebabs etc: Babylon (between Salt Vinegar and the Brunswick), Persia
Kebab House (opposite the Brunswick)
Sit-down Chinese restaurant: The Empire, on Mill St between the Albion and the
Express
Sit-down Italian restaurant: Giovanni's, Nantwich Road (between Lam's and the wine
bar). Many other eateries further down Nantwich Road and Edleston Road, including Indian
take-aways, but a little more than 5 mins from the station.
Crowthorne
Buffet: None.
Retail: None.
Sandwich shop: Mike's Delicatessen (follow road to east of station for about 100
yards) do excellent sandwiches to order.
Pub: None.
Chippy: None.
Coventry
Buffet: Quick Snack and some pub
Retail: WHSmith
Newsagents: outside station and turn left
Pub: on station and outside station and turn left
Doncaster
Buffet: P4. (CS?)
Retail: Kiosks P4, P1, entrance hall near ticket office. NS.
Pub: The Railway. Out of station, right turn, through car park, right then left
straight away.
Sainsburys: (CS) Out of station, left turn, down and through underpass, up at other
end and left then right into Frenchgate centre. Bit more than 5 mins walk probably.
Burger King / other shops: as for Sainsbury's, continue through Frenchgate centre.
East Croydon
Buffet: Costa Coffee, Piece of Cake, Upper Crust, nameless? P1/2, Lemon Tree P3/4,
Quicksnack P5/6.
Retail: WHSmith NS
Pub: The Porter and Sorter - turn left out of station, through taxi rank.
Edinburgh Waverley
Buffet: Quick Snack, Upper Crust, Cafe Select (licensed) & Burger King.
Retail: WHSmith.
Boots: (CS): Exit via footbridge to Princes St, entrance opposite top of steps.
M&S: Exit via footbridge to Princes St, turn left, entrance 200yds ahead on
RHS.
Pub: On station (by travel centre), others en route to chippy.
Chippy: Exit via footbridge to Market St, over crossing, ahead up Fleshmarket
Close, ahead at top of steps, turn right into High St, shop ahead on LHS.
Ely (Cambs)
Buffet: Privately owned coffee-shop cum buffet cum newsagents on P1 and island
P2/3. Opening hours unknown but appear to be 'normal' M-S, CS.
Tesco: (with coffee shop) Straight across Car Park... 08.00 - 20.00 or longer M-S,
OS.
Pub: ISTR one on the main road at the end of the station drive.
Chippy: None found.
Exeter St. David's
Buffet: QuickSnack
Retail: WHSmith SS
Glasgow Central
Buffet: Burger King, Franco's cafe, Upper Crust, Costa Coffee, O'Brien's, Guv'nor's
Restaurant and Ghillie Brown's Bar (these two on balcony; lift available).
Retail: John Menzies (NS), Boots (at Gordon St entrance, CS SS), Peckhams
delicatessen (SS), Thorntons.
Sandwich shops: Greggs (CS) and Olivers in Union Street (turn right out of Union
Street exit).
M&S, Tesco, Littlewoods: All OS. About 10 minutes walk away in Argyle Street
(leave station by Union Street exit near Burger King, turn right down Union Street to the
traffic lights and then left along Argyle Street), several other food outlets including
Boots (OS) in the St Enoch Centre (the site of St Enoch Station) in Argyle Street.
Pubs: Ghillie Brown's and Coopers in station. Corn Exchange opposite main entrance
in Gordon Street; Solid Rock cafe (loud music!) in Hope Street (leave station by Hope
Street exit adjacent to Central Hotel, cross road and head left); The Goose in Union
Street (leave station by Union Street exit, cross road and head right); and innumerable
others.
Chippy: The Blue Lagoon under the Hielanman's Umbrella - head in the direction of
P12, go down one escalator towards the Low Level station, then out of the exit by the
Hielanman pub and turn left (wheelchair access possible by using the Hope Street exit by
the Central Hotel, turning left down Hope Street and left again at the traffic lights on
reaching Argyle Street).
Glasgow Queen Street
Buffet: Burger King, Upper Crust, Costa Coffee.
Retail: Boots (CS SS) and John Menzies (SS).
Sandwich shops: Greggs (CS) in George Square (go out of exit next to Burger King,
across West George Street ahead and head for opposite side of George Square).
M&S, Boots etc: About 10 minutes walk - out of exit by booking offices,
straight ahead along Dundas Lane alleyway, turn right up Buchanan Street, turn left in
front of the Concert Hall, and walk along Sauchiehall Street. OS.
Pub: Clyde Bar on concourse. Dows, The Vale, Hogshead all in Dundas Street (go out
of side exit by booking offices); The Counting House in George Square (go out of exit next
to Burger King and cross West George Street ahead).
Chippy: Pizza Crolla (go out of side exit by booking offices, left down Dundas
Street then turn right into West George Street).
Greenwich
Buffet: In station building (Independently run, newish, very good, unlicenced)
Pub: Prince of Orange(?) next door.
Grimsby Town
Buffet: The Mariner Bar (P1 - CS?)
Retail: Papers, sweets - by ticket office (CS?)
M&S: Leave station, ahead, ahead over crossing to Old Market Place, turn right
into Victoria St., entrance ahead on left.
Pub: JD Wetherspoon's The Yarborough Hotel - straight out of station, about 15
yards. Recommended.
Chippy: Two, both out of station, turn left, go alongside railway to Wellowgate
crossing. Shop on opposite side of crossing, on corner of Wellowgate & Brighowgate.
Big pile of chips & fish for a quid. Highly recommended.
Guildford
Buffet: Hobbs Choice (concourse and P5/6)
Retail: WHSmith (NS), Cappuccino Bar (on Platform outside concourse).
M&S: Exit station and turn right. Cross over crossing, turning right when
reaching the main road. At the bottom of this road cross over the crossing and turn right
outside the Friary Shopping Centre. Follow the shopping centre wall by turning left
outside Courts. Then follow the road up pass Sports Division. 4 mins walking time.
Pub: Exit station, turning right. At road junction turn right. There are several
pubs down this road on both sides.
Fast Food: Exit station, tuning right. Turn right at road junction. You will see
the Friary Shopping Centre. McDonalds is on the upper floor.
Hassocks
Buffet: None
Retail: None, but newsagent over road on up-side.
Sandwich Shop: Budgens about 5 minutes east. OS
Pub: Outside down side entrance ( Hassocks Hotel)
Chippy: Trawlerman is out of down side exit, down Station Approach East, past the
shops, just before Grand Avenue on LHS. Highly recommended.
Hadfield
Retail: Newsagent on the corner of the station car park entrance. A couple of
"mini-marts" on Station Road - straight on as you leave the station car park.
Pub: "The Railway" immediately opposite the station entrance is the
nearest. I would recommend the Peels Arms: get onto the Longdendale trail (see below), and
leave by the path to the first bridge about 400m along. Walk up the hill (it's steep) and
turn right into Temple St. Good village pub with food available.
Wine Bar: newly opened in the old station buildings next to the ticket office.
Chippy / Chinese / Indian / English Cafe: Numerous on Station Road.
Bike Hire: (OK not food but most non-resident travellers to Hadfield go for the
Longdendale trail) On Station Road ~200m from the station. To get to the start of the
trail, turn right out of the station and follow the road ~200m.
Hove
Buffet: P2.
Retail: Newsagent in main booking hall CS. CO-OP: (10 minutes walk) out of main
entrance, straight ahead to end of Goldstone Villas, turn right into Blatchingdon Road,
entrance is on your left.
Pub: Directly outside main entrance.
Chippy: Out of main entrance, straight ahead down Goldstone Villas on right. More
establishments in environs of CO-OP.
Kensington Olympia
Buffet: Puccino's P1/2
Leicester
Buffet: Quicksnack on concourse; The Lemon Tree on platforms.
Retail: WHSmith on concourse & P3/4.
Tesco Metro & M&S: in centre: turn right out of station, through subway,
along Granby Street. M&S, BHS on right hand side; turn right after M&S for Tesco
Metro. Walking time 5-10 minutes; all OS.
Pubs & Chippy: On Granby Street.
Norwood Junction
Buffet: None (The sandwich shop is in an old BR building which did have a window
onto P1...)
Retail: None
Sandwich Shop: Leave station P1 side, turn immediately right to independent
sandwich shop (Opening times Mornings, exact hours TBC).
Pub: Leave station P1 side Linden Tree pub directly opposite entrance (more pub
available further on).
Chippy: Leave station P1 side. Walk up station approach to clock tower. Turn left
to find chippy. Alternatively leave station P6 side. Walk directly away from station to
Chinese chip shop.
Oxford
Buffet: Upper Crust and AMT.
Retail: WHSmith NS and an independent shop.
Putney
Buffet: Puccino's P2/3
Newsagents: Privately run
Reading
Buffet: Upper Crust , Le Croissant, AMT, Costa Coffee Something delicious &
Lemon Tree (P5/8),
Retail (all SS): WHSmith (Concourse & P5/8), Boots CS and H.P. Food and Wine.
M&S: Out main entrance, over crossing, turn left, straight on at roundabout
down Station Road, turn left at traffic lights onto Friar Street, entrance on your right.
OS
Boots: Out main entrance, over crossing, turn left, straight on at roundabout down
Station Road, straight across crossroads. Turn right outside Heelas. Shop on your right.
(Note there are two Boots - only the shop on the right sells sandwiches OS)
Pub: Three Guineas P4. Others on the way to M&S.
Fast Food: Burger King - Out main entrance, over crossing, turn left, straight on
at roundabout down Station Road. Located at junction with Friar Street; McDonalds - turn
right outside Burger Kings, down Friar Street.
Chippy/kebabs: Station Hill, main entrance, over crossing & turn right,
Richmond
Buffet: Le Croissant and Puccino's (3 units)
Retail: WHSmith NS, Richmond & Surrey Auctions
Also Coca-Cola and Kit-Kat machines P2/3
Selhurst
Buffet: None
Retail: None
Sandwich Shop: Leave station building towards SU depot, turn immediately right to
independent sandwich shop (Opening times Mornings, exact hours TBC).
Pub: Leave station building towards SU depot, turn right and walk under the bridge.
Follow this road to the Selhurst Arms pub (400m).
Chippy: None
Selly Oak
Buffet: none
Retail: none
Sainsburys: out of station (via ticket office), to main road, turn left then across
the road at 2nd traffic lights. Kaya kebabs (recommended) & many sandwich bars/coffee
shops etc., turn right at main road to Selly Oak
Pub: Bristol Pear: right at main road. The Brook: as above but further. Farce &
Firkin: as above but further and across road
Chippy: Big Johns: left at main road & straight on. ? Fish Bar: as above but
further.
St Albans
Buffet: Snack Box (CS), Lemon Tree (P1) (CS)
Retail: WHSmith NS CS
Pub: Horn of Plenty - turn right leaving ticket hall, up steps on to road bridge,
turn right at top, 200 yds on LHS (by TL)
St Albans Abbey
Sainsbury: Next to station - turn left leaving forecourt, left up steps by statue
then cross car parks and petrol station, SS but no cafe.
Pub: Duke of Marlborough - turn R leaving forecourt, 300 yds on LHS.
Stafford
Buffet: P1. CS?
Retail: John Menzies in booking hall; CS / NS.
Sainsbury's: 5-10 minutes walk: diagonally left out of station and right across
island, follow road round to left, right at next island and store on left. OS and until
22.00 M-S, and has "J's restaurant".
Boots and M&S: in town centre: 5 minutes: across island, over bridge, straight
ahead (pedestrianised), across road and alongside churchyard. Left at McDonalds, Boots is
on left, M&S on right.
Pub & Chippy: At island immediately before Sainsbury's; Stafford Arms PH, left
out of station, left at island alongside station car park.
Stevenage
Buffet: Quicksnack
Retail: News etc SS
Twickenham
Puccino's CS P4/5
Newsagents: Privately run
Also Coca-Cola and Kit-Kat machines P4/5
University
Buffet: station shop
Retail: station shop
Watford Junction:
Buffet: Cappucino, Upper Crust, Snackbox P9/10 CS
Retail: WHSmith NS
Pub: Clarendon Arms (?) rt on leaving stn.
Welwyn Garden City
Buffet: name ? on 'concourse' (which is 1st floor of shopping mall)
Retail: WHSmith, down escalator and turn left along mall
M&S: At north end of mall - turn R on entering from platforms (50yds)
Weston-super-Mare
Buffet: Off The Rails (P2, Licensed, OS)
Tesco: Out of station, over zebra, turn right, follow curve of road to left, over
pelican crossing.
Take away: Pub Grub Shop, Miss Millies, various others in similar location: out of
station, turn right, walk to roundabout, cross dual carriageway.
Pub: Off The Rails (P2, Pub Hours). Others: follow take away for Bristol Hotel.
Follow Tescos above, cross car park, cross Alexandra Parade for Forresters, Red Admiral
and others.
Winchester
Buffet/retail: in main building on down platform
Pub: Railway Inn 3 mins W of station. Cross carpark from up platform then turn
left.
Chips/Kebab: Down hill from main building, cross road.
Yeovil Junct
Buffet/bar: On main platform (very nice, fires in winter, doorstep sarnies for the
journey...)
York
Buffet: Opposite ticket office in entrance hall. Lemon Tree (P5).
Retail: WHSmith (P3), Kiosk (P5)
Pub: The Maltings. Left turn out of station, over zebra crossing, left, through
city walls, past war memorial and follow the road left down the hill and it's over the
road at the bottom of the hill, on your right. 10 mins walk. Expensive.
For these station only buffets, retail units and pubs within the stations are listed. Most will have a wide range of alternative shops and pubs outside the station, too many to list here.
Charing Cross
WHSmith NS, Burger King, Ritazza (Cappuccino), Quick Snack, Jardine de Paris, Le Croissant
Shop, Upper Crust, Charing Cross Kiosk, Café Select & Kent Tavern.
Euston
WHSmith SS, John Menzies, Boots SS, Burger King, Whistle Stop, Upper Crust, Hot
Favourites, Café Select, Quick Snack, Off Licence, Journeys Friend & Le Croissant.
King's Cross
Concourse: WHSmith NS & Burger King.
P1: Ginghams, Whistle Stop, Coopers & Café Select.
Liverpool Street
WHSmith (2 units SS), Boots SS, Burger King, Upper Crust, Bonaparties, Costa Coffee, Le
Croissant Shop, Jardine de Paris & A Piece of Cake.
Some of these are in the shopping arcade (turn right when exiting platforms)
London Bridge
WHSmith NS, Upper Crust, Whistle Stop LE Croissant Shop, Garfunkels & The Coast House.
Marylebone
WHSmith NS, Upper Crust, AMT, Station Supermarket & Whistle Stop.
Paddington
WHSmith NS, John Menzies NS P1, Boots SS, Ritazza (Cappuccino), Upper Crust, Burger King,
Journeys Friend, The Reef (Café / Bar) & Costa Coffee.
St Pancras
WHSmith NS, Upper Crust, Whistle Stop, AMT & The Shires Bar.
Victoria
WHSmith (3 units NS), Boots (2 units SS), Whistle Stop, Upper Crust, Burger King, Victoria
Kiosk, Le Croissant, Coffee Shop, Quick Snack, Café Select, Cafepreeso, AMT, Coppers Bar
& The Victoria Tavern.
Waterloo East
Quick Snack
Annan - The Bluebell
Bangor (Gwynedd) - The Harp Inn right out of the station left by the railway overbridge
and it is a little further along on the right.
Basingstoke - Queens Head in
Bath - Ring of Bells
Birmingham New St - Fox (?)
Bradford on Avon - Bunch of Grapes
Bridgenorth - Station Pub
Brough - The Vulcan
Carlisle - Howard Arms, The Caledonian & Woolpack
Crediton - The Dartmoor Railway, outside the station.
Crewe - The Albion
Derby - The Brunswick at is at the apex of the triangle of the earliest railway company
built workers 'cottages. The Alex(ander) IMHO serves better beer.
Didcot - The Great Western outside station
Eridge - Huntsman
Euston - Head of Steam
Exeter - Jolly Porter, Great Western and Red Cow
Huddersfield - The Head of Steam & The Rat & Ratchet
Inverness - Phoenix
Johnston - The Railway Inn
Kegworth.- Station Inn
Leeds - Scabby Taps outside station, The Scarbrough, & The Prince of Wales
London Bridge (Borough Market) - L42 Club
London St Pancras - Shires bar (also useful for Kings X)
London Victoria - Wetherspoons
London Waterloo - Hole in the Wall
Norwich - Rosary Tavern
Plymouth - The Penny Come Quick
Portsmouth Harbour - Ship Anson
Reading - Three Guineas on Platform 4
Rotherham - Prince of Wales
Salisbury - Railway Arms, Railway Tavern & The Village
Sheffield - The Globe (The pub half way up the hill from Sheffield station heading to the
Crucible)
Skegness - Vine Hotel
St. Denys - The South Western Arms, just outside railway station. The Junction Inn, just
down the road.
Stafford - The Stafford Arms good real ale pub outside station.
Stalybridge - station buffet
Stockport - Queen Vic (back entrance to station)
Wakefield - Henry Boon's
Weymouth - The Ship
Wolverhampton - Great Western
Yeovil Pen Mill - The Great Western
York - The Maltings
Thanks to Peter Lawrence, Martin Summerfield, Julian Hayward, Arwel Parry, Terry Harper, Angela Gawthrop, Ross Hamilton, D. A. Stocks, PRAR George Hills, Mike Newman, Will Salt and many other readers of uk.railway for providing entries.