Update: Time For Tea Shops At Ripley Museum And Saturday Opening Too

Published on: 30 Jul, 2021
Updated on: 30 Jul, 2021

Send and Ripley History Society has a new exhibition at its museum focusing on the many tearooms and cafés that have served refreshments to those passing through and to its locals.

And as an update, the museum is now open again on Saturdays from 10am to noon, without visitors having to pre-book.

The exhibition, Ripley a refreshment destination – a history of teashops and cafés, is now available to view by appointment.

And those visiting the exhibition at its museum in Ripley High Street can get a small discount for three local cafés (50p on a £5 spend).

The exhibition is titled Ripley a refreshment destination – a history of teashops and cafés, and features vintage photographs with lots of details about them and related artefacts.

It may appear surprising just how many tearooms and cafés there have been in Ripley, but perhaps not so when considering the village was once on the main road from London to Portsmouth, with plenty of passing trade.

The Tea Caddy café.

The heyday of these was from the 1920s and on into later decades, and of course there are several there now, open again since some of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted. Therefore, a good reason to see the exhibition and take up the discount offer after your visit.

Some of the names of the tearooms and cafés may well be remembered, while others came and went a long time ago. They include: the Crossways Tearoom at Burnt Common and the Triangle Café a little further along the road opposite what was once Fishers Garage.

Then there was The Three Frogs, and moving further towards the village there was the Dolls House Tearoom and the Sunnyside Tearoom.

A waitress ready to welcome people to the Toby Cottage Tea Rooms. Note the huge ceramic Toby Jug next to her.

Others included the Jubilee Café, the Toby Cottage Tea Rooms (still a restaurant today), the Spinning Wheel, Pinnocks Café (the current Pinnocks taking it name from the previous one), The Enchanted Tea Garden and the Old Forge tea and snack bar, Skeltons refreshment house, the Cedar House tearoom, the Welcome Coffee House, The Tea Caddy, the Bright Spot (later called the Green Lantern), and the Rio Café. Phew! Such a lot to choose from.

The museum will still be sanitising carefully and masks are available if visitors prefer to wear a mask.

It will still be possible to book for other times by ringing Clare on 01483 728546.

Cyclists pictured outside the original Pinnock tearoom.

Send and Ripley History Society’s museum is next to the village hall. There is only pedestrian access to the museum at present as the village hall is being rebuilt.

There is a path beside the fencing to the museum. If driving to Ripley there is ample parking nearby and also a short way further into the village.