Takoda Camping

[Paul]

I have just been reading the thread about biker cafes and thought I would add our newest venture.
As many of you already know Maria and myself run Takoda Campsite in Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria where among other things we host the ABR boil rally every April.

For the last seventeen years we have also run a countryside contracting business that to be honest in this current financial climate is on it's arse.

Our original plan was eventually to put a full kitchen in the big building where we have the curry night but we just cannot afford to.

So, we are putting a kitchen in the existing log building that is the reception as there is loads of room and we can lock it up at night, don't want campers nicking our bacon :laugh:
The idea is to sell bacon butties and a brew to campers but we are also hoping to attract passing traffic and in particular bikers, of course!
We will run it like a roadside butty bar, if it's fine you can sit outside on a picnic table near the river, if it's raining you can use the lounge and stay dry.

WE WILL BE OPEN FOR THE BOIL RALLY !

Takoda Camping, A685, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. CA17 4AP

Any advice would be appreciated.

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[Paul-S]

Good luck Paul

Looking forward to getting up there later in the year

[AndyB]

You should be on a winner and my only advise is that you ask the customer how they want their eggs done because there's nothing worse than watching your breakfast being cooked and at the last moment the savage doing the cooking smashes the egg and you end up with a partial omelette on your bacon. I usually feel like telling them to stick it and heading off elsewhere.

[dubber68]

will take a spin up before the boil if we get a break in the weather. Good luck with your latest venture.

[AustinW]

Any advice would be appreciated.

This is what I like/dont like when I turn up on my bike:

Somewhere to put helmets.

Somewhere to dry wet stuff

Dedicated marked out bike parking - makes us feel wanted

Have big maps on the wall with good roads and green lanes marked along with the best places to visit. Also mark up black spots.

Have a display area for other information and classifieds - you can charge.

Magazines, papers, and stuff freely available to read.

Decent coffee - strong and freshly brewed - make sure the place smells of it and its a major feature of your marketing (has to be good though).

Use good quality locally sourced bread/rolls, bacon, sausages, eggs, cakes and stuff. DO NOT sell cheap burgers. Or Chips. Trade more on quality than price.

Offer alternatives, like porridge, or home made soup, or simple pasta and sauce. Curry

There's nothing worse than a hot and steamy room with condensation ridden windows. Make sure its heated just right and has good air flow to keep it fresh and dry.

Clean spacious toilets - I hate when I am in there with a helmet and no where to put it down while I point percy at the porcelain.

Mix of seating - table & chairs, comfy chairs, and settees.

lots of comfy outside seating - bikers like to be outside so cater for it.

Do all that and I would make regular visits.

Get some ideas from people of places they like and why, then visit and see what you can copy.

I like Wilfs cafe in Staveley near Kendal: good atmosphere, good coffee and decent simple food and no chips to stink the place out. Lots of parking, comfy seating in and out.

I dont like the cafe in Hawes all the bikers go to - just about the opposite of everything I have written.

Good luck with your venture. I will pop in one day soon.

[Redmurty]

My best advice would be, bacon crispy and eggs over easy and brown sauce of course

Good luck it will soon catch on with all the passing bikers

Have now put this on the "Tiger" forum

cheers Spud

[MikeC]

Got to agree with the `quality` aspect, especially for the coffee...free, or even one free, coffee refill (nowt worse than ordering food and being given your cuppa, which is usually drank or cold as the food arrives)...... and some decent visor cleaning facilities.

And...

a book swap..
T-shirt sales..
a pleasant `hello` on arrival..
Loyalty card..


See you for a cuppa soon

[Adrian]

I'm in 100% agreement with everything Austin said.
And proper HP Brown sauce. Nothing worse than cheap vinegary brown sauce :sick:

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you guys

Ade

[numptyspence]

+1 for proper HP sauce, and quality bacon

[david]

Hi was in Wong kei telling everone tonight about the Pub in town that allowed you to bring in your own take away hmy: It was a Attenborough moment.

P/s...........Can someone remind me to get off at Loughton as Im Pissed on the Central Line :laugh: