Station Buffet, Bridlington

One of only two licensed buffets on the main UK rail network that has remained this unaltered since before the Second World War (the other being at Stalybridge, Greater Manchester). It occupies part of a two-storey block that was designed in 1922 (built 1925) by the North Eastern Railway's last serving company architect, Stephen Wilkinson, as a careful addition to the 1912 station concourse of his predecessor, William Bell. Its layout of two rooms was to cater separately for the two 'classes' of passenger and it retains all the main elements of the original room interiors. The entire station, with the buffet, was statutorily listed in 2003 following a successful application by CAMRA and the official listing description was enhanced in 2010, again at CAMRA's instigation, to give fuller recognition to the outstanding importance of the Buffet.

Built of red brick. A corner porch with terrazzo floor leads to the Second Class Refreshment Room at the car park side of the building. It has a terrazzo floor, the tiled and wood surround fireplace is a replacement with a 1970s gas fire and large modern mirror above. The chimneybreast is flanked by two large wooden pilasters which reach to the deep corniced ceiling. The original panelled bar counter sits on an Italian marble base with a marble top and the original two bay bar back fitting has mirrors and some glass shelves from the 1960s. There are two display cases – one with cakes and the other with British Railways mugs. Original gas lighting has been converted to electric. The crack in the floor was as a result of a train hitting the buffers in the late twentieth century.

A door at the rear leads to the First Class Refreshment Room, which has its own entrance from the station concourse where the lobby has original screen-work and inner door. It has a terrazzo floor – look for the three nails the builders left in the mix when creating it. There is another original bar counter on an Italian marble base which is curved and has a marble top. There is a display case of sweets, chocolates and crisps. An original tiled and wood surround fireplace has a gas fire and replacement large mirror above. The chimneybreast is flanked by two large wooden pilasters which reach to the deep corniced ceiling. The mirrored (replacement) original two-bay bar back has some glass shelves added. The ‘Station Cat Lucy’ plaque celebrates the 26 year old cat who died in 2014. The walls have lots of railwayana. The floor behind the servery is of wood block. Most of the joinery is original too and the door-frames have decorative architraves. Marble top tables. On the station concourse look for the ‘Booking Office’ in stone relief. Opens from 8.30 to 6 (Easter to end of September 7.30 to 10.30.