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Swiss Cottage Restaurant

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s_g_k

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I couldn’t see an applicable thread hence starting a fresh one, but please move accordingly if there is a suitable thread.

Back in the 80s my grandad was a chef in the Swiss Cottage restaurant and I was wondering if anyone has any pictures of what it was like whilst it was open? It would be great to hear some anecdotes as well about the dining experience / atmosphere etc. Unfortunately he passed away just before I was born so have obviously never heard much about his time there!
 
As one of the few who ate there back in the day, I loved it!
Silver service waitresses, proper lunch menu, and my mum did afternoon tea on the terrace as well, while I had another shot on the Corkscrew.
Typical country house tearoom.
Then it was the railway carriage for years!
Edit...and all credit to Mr Zola for the memories...
 
I think that it would be great to bring it back, but I don't see Merlin doing something like it again.
 
Wasn’t it fairly small inside? I guess with today’s visitor numbers, it would just be too small to cope, unless it was made to be a highly exclusive and bookable experience. I’m sure an “ultimate VIP package” would go down well for those that can afford it. Entry, fastrack, photos, priority parking, and lunch at the Swiss Cottage.
 
s_g_k said:
Wasn’t it fairly small inside? I guess with today’s visitor numbers, it would just be too small to cope, unless it was made to be a highly exclusive and bookable experience.
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Woodcutters and Rollercoaster Restaurant aren't exactly massive though, can't be more than 100 covers in either of them?
 
I went inside it years ago when we had a tour round and it was a bit of a state, the roof is clearly leaking is the ceiling was covered in stains. There was planning permission to sort the back of it out a few years back but I don’t know if that’s happened yet, I’ve not been near it for a few years now.

It’s not that big inside and would probably cost a fortune to turn it in to a restaurant again.

I think the other issue is it’s too far out the way for any kind of passing trade. And most theme park visitors wouldn’t go out their way to go have food or drinks there as the gardens aren’t the main draw of the park now a days.
 
djtruefitt said:
I went inside it years ago when we had a tour round and it was a bit of a state, the roof is clearly leaking is the ceiling was covered in stains. There was planning permission to sort the back of it out a few years back but I don’t know if that’s happened yet, I’ve not been near it for a few years now.

It’s not that big inside and would probably cost a fortune to turn it in to a restaurant again.

I think the other issue is it’s too far out the way for any kind of passing trade. And most theme park visitors wouldn’t go out their way to go have food or drinks there as the gardens aren’t the main draw of the park now a days.
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I think if there was a sign up at the top of the path with a menu and they made it a little bit special you could get an audience for the place. It doesn’t even need to be gourmet. Meat and cheese platters and cream teas don’t need a chef or any major infrastructure but have an audience.

Plus wine and beer of course.
 
I've always love a tearoom, so having one at Towers, especially in the Gardens would be right up my alley! The Gardens are always a nice break from the thrills, so having a tearoom there would really add to it. There's a lot of Potential with that Cottage and it's location, I'm quite surprised Merlin hasn't done anything to it yet.
 
You would hope they can see the potential for Return on Investment (ROI). Look at the vast array of food that EPCOT / Europa Park can turn out (and it's not exactly cheap - certainly at EPCOT). Until we get proper competition - hopefully in about 10yrs time - from Universal, Merlin will just keep the Aramark contract running.

It says it all when you can get a burger that is normally better than the Aramark offering in Wetherspoons, and it includes a pint.
 
Trooper Looper said:
I've always love a tearoom, so having one at Towers, especially in the Gardens would be right up my alley! The Gardens are always a nice break from the thrills, so having a tearoom there would really add to it. There's a lot of Potential with that Cottage and it's location, I'm quite surprised Merlin hasn't done anything to it yet.
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Turning it back into a fully fledged restaurant won’t work in today’s theme park demographic, but I could certainly see the cottage as a high(ish) turnover afternoon tea style venue where you can be in and out in 40 minutes or so.

Afternoon teas themed to attractions would be a great shout.
 
As an old git who has had lunch and afternoon tea in there, I think I can honestly say it just isn't big enough inside to make a profit in theme park terms.
Just not enough space for sufficient covers.
You try and get afternoon tea punters in and out in forty minutes...my mum was in there for at least two hours on every occasion.
All those years ago.
I was in the corkscrew queue.
 
s_g_k said:
Afternoon teas themed to attractions would be a great shout.
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Do NOT even give Merlin the idea of "themed meals". From having organised a trip to Alton Towers some years ago (2002 I think), the "Corkscrew Hotdogs", "Nemesis Burgers" etc and curly fries - all served upstairs in what was the Towers Family Restaurant - were verging on inedible. Not cheap either.

You can only imagine the Aramark re-incarnation of these delights.
 
Also worth noting there used to be a Pizza restaurant where the Welcome-Inn / Tavern is/was some years ago - I don't recall this having particular high throughput either, but as it had been p'ing down with rain all day we were not exactly complaining. That must have been about 1991 as a guess... showing my age now!
 
They’ve got a building already, brings heritage back. Unique. And keep it as a tea room for low capex.

Add some stylish outdoor seating covers with heaters on the terrace and it’s suitable for all weathers.

Genuinely seems a no brainer
 
Did they carry out the essential works needed that they put in planning permission for / received planning permission for?

I would argue that it would probably cost more money to make that building into a tearoom than it would to flatten the whole thing and replace it with a modern building. Much more money in fact, seeing as it is quite an old building. Having a building there already does not usually mean it is cheaper, than if they started from scratch, especially if said building is old, listed and dilapidated, which it is.

The cost in getting that building habitable again is probably a big factor in it sitting empty, rotting away.
 
They might spruce parts of the Swiss Cottage up a bit at some point in the future as one of their classic bargaining chips for planning permission for a new ride. I'm not talking about a major renovation of the whole thing, just a general tidy up and make it habitable again. Once that's done, they could probably do basic food and drink to be consumed on the terrace out the front in the summer, at least. It's already hooked up to water and electric so all you would need is a staff member or two and a very basic kitchen area downstairs. Not sure if the will would be there to do it though as it's just something else to be managed and in the grand scheme of things probably wouldn't make them a whole load of money. It would be a nice customer experience though.
 
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