Following a two-year battle with Network Rail, a tea room in Endon can finally resume serving customers outside.
The Railway Tearoom is located inside the former Endon Station ticket office in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Despite being disused since 1963, Network Rail still owns the platform and abandoned tracks located outside the ticket office.
Two years ago, Network Rail ordered the Railway Tearoom to stop serving customers on the platform as they classed it as trespassing. They also argued that it posed a ‘health and safety’ risk. They also ordered the tea room to block off public access to the station.
Endon Parish Council, who own the former ticket office, have since negotiated a deal with Network Rail and the tea room can now once again serve customers on the platform.
Suzanne Sillitoe of the Endon Parish Council stated: “They couldn’t use the platform for outdoor seating because Network Rail said it was not a manned station and so it was dangerous and they were quite adamant that was the case. We negotiated with them and then bit by bit we got access which was important to the business.”
She continued: “We negotiated a picket fence and when I say we took on Network Rail, it was a long process and we do understand that Network Rail is a huge concern and it did take time and they did listen to us bit by bit.”
Experienced writer and journalist James McKean leads the daily editorial output at StaffsLive. To contact him, email news@staffslive.co.uk
