Well Known Bikers Cafe Disaster

Just heard about it as well and photos showing the whole roofs gone
They’ve had no luck recently they had to just about close last summer when their water supply dried up
Let’s hope they get sorted as it’s the North’s Ace Cafeand a great place to go on 2 wheels

 

A right mess

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/famous-hartside-cafe-near-alston-14376722

 

Sad news indeed. Top spot that.

 

Just seen the pictures via HTOC Facebook page. Whole roof gone - what a shame hope they can reopen.

 

Hartside Cafe on A686 near Alston destroyed by fire
Fire crew had to follow snowplough to safely reach scene on Hartside Pass


The Hartside Cafe following the fire. Photo: Cumbria County Council
A blaze has ripped through an iconic cafe which sits at one of Cumbria's highest points.
New images show the walls are all that appear to remain of the Hartside Cafe, which sits at the top of the A686 Hartside Pass, near Alston. Firefighters from Alston, Brampton and Penrith spent several hours at the scene tackling the blaze.

Despite the upsetting scene of devastation, the fire service confirmed that no-one was hurt. It was confirmed there was a total roof collapse. An investigation is now underway to establish what happened at the cafe. Crews from Alston, Brampton and Penrith were called to the scene on the A686, about 1,904ft above sea level.

The team from Penrith had to follow a snowplough along the A686 to safely reach the scene after last week's heavy snowfall. An update given to fire service leaders stated that the fire was "well alight on arrival". The fire service was alerted to the blaze at 2.21pm yesterday.

The News & Star was told that firefighters used hose reel jets to help cool an LPG cylinder and dampen down the area.
At 4.20pm a spokesman for the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service stated that the incident was ongoing with confirmation just after 5pm that the blaze was out. The fire happened as work continued to reach the county's most isolated communities, which have been cut off for days by snow.

 

What a shame hope they can rebuild it quickly would love to visit that part off the world.
Tucker

 

Seems ridiculous that the place caught fire whilst surrounded by snow.
Now that is ironic - write about that Alanis Morissette!

 

Those who were on the GMU 2017 Sundays rideout would have visited the Hartside Cafe.

Will it ever re open.

 

Remember it well - very busy and decent looking pies on the menu!

 

I thought you'd be making a joke about the pies being well done now!

 

I think that any pies in there would have been cremated Steve

 

This is my neck of the woods and I'm shocked to see the pics

Hartside Cafe is an institution ...... you find bikes there on most days of the week during the riding season...

 

Your right Tiglet it was one of our GMU stop points. I had to go back and look at the picture again before I made the connection.
Nice cafe, I hope they can rebuild it.
Wessa

 

First visit was 21 years ago on first long-ish biking trip since getting back to bikes. I thought the views were brilliant, so called in a couple of years later with the missus on our way to Scotland ("you'll love it; amazing views"). The place was shrouded in thick fog (you couldn't see across the carpark) and it was freezing cold. And to be fair, it's a biker cafe not fine dining, so all-in-all, missus not impressed.

I really do hope they rebuild and stay in business. It's a great place to visit on the bike.

 

Well the speed and style of recovery will most likely be driven by insurance.

The Leadburn Inn just South of Edinburgh (and not previously a great biker venue but over 200 yrs old) was a similar smoking wreck in 2005 after a car ploughed into it. After some serious legal wrangling over insurance it has been rebuilt, reborn and prospers beyond its previous tired incarnation - not least on a Thursday evening when it is avowedly a biker venue.

Hopefully the Hartside owners will publicise their plans as they develop. The road is a magnet in itself.

 

Well I must have been there 'cos that's my bike in the picture!
(Not the one with the top-box!)

 

Do you want to buy that top box Steve, it’ll save you leaving your helmet in full view