Swiss Cottage Restaurant

[s_g_k]

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So here’s my Grandad cooking up a feast in the Swiss Cottage in the mid to late 80s. It’s hard to imagine a great big turkey being carved at the resort these days when all they seem to serve is burgers. You can also spot what appears to be several Alton Towers invoices/bills with their original logo. Hope these old pictures are interesting!

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[BarryZola]

Cool, thanks

 

[djtruefitt]

Not sure what’s happening at the Swiss Cottage but the front is all covered in scaffolding.

 

[JAperson]

Is it likely to just be general required refurbishment work for a listed building or is it perhaps going to be used as office space or something?

 

[BarryZola]

Not sure what’s happening at the Swiss Cottage but the front is all covered in scaffolding.

A kitchen extension was added at the rear when it was turned into a sit down restaurant. They're apparently removing the extension completely and re-instating the old windows and doorway the way it used to be. I assume they'll probably do other bits whilst they're there which is why there's scaffolding around the front as well. I spoke about it in my gardens update video that I put up a couple of days ago

 

[DanJB]

The decorative white wooden bits along the edge of the roof were visibly split, rotting and falling apart last season. Hopefully they’re getting replaced.

 

[s_g_k]

I still think not opening the Swiss Cottage back up as an eatery is a missed opportunity. It would make a fantastic spot for a premium booking-only venue for cream/afternoon teas. You could also have tables on the veranda overlooking the gardens for added capacity. Kitchen space requirements would be minimal because you could just buy in what’s needed and plate up as required. I know that capacity would be tiny, but I’m sure there is a demand for this sort of experience on park. You could have bookable 1-hour slots from 11am to park close allowing for multiple table turnarounds throughout the day to boost sales.

Although, I shiver at the thought of what Aramark would class as a cream tea. Squirty cream and a stale scone anyone?

 

[rob666]

Some of us have already had premium cream teas and decent lunches in there...and my mum was impressed every last time.
And the train carriage that kept moving...as they do.

Would be lovely to have it back again.

 

[s_g_k]

Some of us have already had premium cream teas and decent lunches in there...and my mum was impressed every last time.
And the train carriage that kept moving...as they do.

Would be lovely to have it back again.

I remember the train carriage! Never went in there though.

 

[rob666]

...and I should add, no recollection of turkey.
We ate there more than once, my mum going back for cream tea on the terrace, to pass the time when I was in the two hour queue for the Corkscrew, again.

 

[s_g_k]

...and I should add, no recollection of turkey.
We ate there more than once, my mum going back for cream tea on the terrace, to pass the time when I was in the two hour queue for the Corkscrew, again.

Yeah I’m not totally sure what dates he worked there, I do think he was definitely there in the mid 70s, maybe even earlier. It looks like they may have done a more substantial silver service at some point going off the photos. He moved over from Jamaica as part of the windrush generation and his first job was a chef in the Army. He then left for the job at Alton Towers. He passed in 1990, 1 year before I was born. Such a shame!

 

[BarryZola]

Yeah I’m not totally sure what dates he worked there, I do think he was definitely there in the mid 70s, maybe even earlier. It looks like they may have done a more substantial silver service at some point going off the photos. He moved over from Jamaica as part of the windrush generation and his first job was a chef in the Army. He then left for the job at Alton Towers. He passed in 1990, 1 year before I was born. Such a shame!

That AT logo/font on the invoices in the background is bang on what they were using in the early 1980s.

 

[Hid]

What was the food like in the Swiss Cottage was it good quality and what kind of food was it

 

[rob666]

Typical "heritage cafe" fare.
Good quality, silver service, typical full meals for lunch with a limited menu, then classic afternoon cream teas, either inside or on the terrace.
Very nice indeed, but not what you call large scale catering, probably around fifty covers?
Not cheap, but typical prices for quality food in a gated environment.
Very nicely done, but impossible to upscale to a big theme park demand.
Not typical theme park food, more stately home cafe stuff.