A MUCH-loved team room is being forced to close having been in business for 34 “happy and successful” years.
The family-run Two Hoots Tea Room is situated in one of Wales’ most-visited tourist spots and they say they are devastated after they were ordered to pull down the shutters for good.
The owners of the café at Devil’s Bridge, Aberystwyth, have been given a closure notice by the Vale of Rheidol Railway as it plans to start work regenerating Devi’s Bridge Station.
The popular station is home to world-famous bridges and waterfalls with thousands of visitors every year.
As part of the regeneration work, new toilets are planned and recreating sites which pay homage to the area’s industrial history.
Plans also include building an engine shed replicating the structure present in the early 20th century as well as the recreation of the old timber yard.
A display area will also be created informing visitors about the area’s mining history.
But due to those plans the Vale of Rheidol said that it had been forced to make the “difficult decision” to “serve notice on the operators of the Two Hoots”.
Two Hoots will close for winter on November 3 before re-opening next season.
It will close for good on March 31, next year.
Shan Jenkins, who has run the café with her family said they were “devastated” by the news and they’d had “34 happy and successful years” there.
Shan said: “All we can say is how disappointed and devastated we are for the way we were told after so many years of service.
“A hand-delivered letter to our home at 8am from their solicitors came as a total shock with no prior warning or discussion from the railway.
“We’ve had many discussions over the past months and years with the railway about their future developments in which we were involved.
“Our granddaughters have been in these discussions and were looking forward to their future – another generation to work with the railway.
“The end of the contract has come as a total shock and we cannot thank everyone enough for all of their support.
“We have been inundated with messages.
“Two Hoots will close this season on November 3 and will open at the beginning of next season.”
Loyal fans of the Two Hoots were rocked by the announcement on the café’s Facebook page.
AN ‘INSTITUTION’
One person wrote: “Two Hoots isn’t just another business. It’s an institution, a community hub, unique.
“It welcomes visitors and locals. It provides home made and local food. It gives employment. It provides refreshments for passengers who have travelled on the train.
“It will be sorely missed.”
Another said: “Two Hoots has been my go to place for months now. It is not only a cafe. It is a social hub.
“It has an atmosphere that I have never found anywhere else and frankly never will.”
‘AWFUL DECISION’
A third person added: “To those at VofR that have made this awful decision, take a long look at yourselves.
“This family have fed, watered, cared and taken every one of you in like family over the years. Locals will remember and when you see the fall in support for your line, have a think why.”
A fourth person posted: “I’ve known Shan, Alun and their family for over 10 years and have always been impressed with the amount of time, effort and indeed money they have put into making the café a thriving business not only for railway passengers but tourists and visitors alike.
“The café has built a reputation for quality food, friendly service and as a valuable community hub for locals.
“By removing it, the railway will be ripping the heart out of an area where there are few accessible facilities and going against the aims of revitalising communities, not to mention the loss of around 15 local jobs.”
A spokesperson for the railway said the board’s new plans for the site did not include substantive catering provision.
They said: “The decision to serve notice on Two Hoots Tearooms was a very difficult one that was discussed for months at Board level.
“Significant contributory factors were the plans for a major redevelopment of the Devils Bridge Station site, that the temporary catering building is now life expired and no longer fit for purpose, and that the Board’s vision for the site does not include a standalone catering provision as part of the redevelopment, but will ensure that railway customers continue to enjoy quality refreshments throughout their visit.
“While we appreciate that this is unwelcome news for the Two Hoots leaseholders, we have tried to make it as comfortable as possible for them and deeply regret if they do not feel we have achieved that, despite our best efforts.
“As previously stated, The Board sincerely thanks the owners and staff of Two Hoots for their many years of service and wish them all the best in the future.
“The Vale of Rheidol Railway is committed to preserving and enhancing the heritage of the line, creating an authentic and immersive experience for all visitors, and following its charity objectives.”
