Help us work out the future of the Inglesport Café

[ChrisJC]

I have a slightly different angle, and that is how can you maximise what you have. Here are my thoughts:
- Advertise / promote more. Run at full capacity. It's not that obvious from the outside that there's a cafe upstairs. If a passer by walked along the street, would they be drawn in? How would you draw them in?
- Look at getting people fed and the seats empty to get more people through. Don't rush anybody, but I have found it takes quite a while to get your food. I'm no caterer, but I do think that faster service is an essential part of the above point.
- I think the food offering is OK

I visit probably once a year, have breakfast (don't care about cost as I've just driven from afar and the fuel cost easily outweighs the breakfast cost!), then buy stuff in the shop. If there was no cafe, I'd have to get breakfast somewhere else, which means I would only come to the shop if I specifically wanted something (which I would probably mail order instead if I wasn't coming to the cafe).

It is a very difficult problem and I'm very sympathetic.

Chris.

 

[Lankyman]

I've noticed that if you look at Ingleton on Google Maps and keep zooming in, Inglesport appears as an outdoor shop (NOT a café). Other cafés/eateries do appear as such. The Inglesport café only appears if you specifically set the map search for 'restaurant' or 'coffee'. Would it be possible to have a separate entry for the café (and/or give it a distinct name)?

 

[Pegasus]

Consider more promotion of the cafe:

Menu in the window.

Spend £?? And receive a voucher for a free brew - would get people upstairs to visit the cafe who might not have been before. Would they buy a butty or cake to go with that brew? Would their friends join them and buy themselves a brew?

You serve quality ingredients, shout about it more.

Good luck, I would be sad to see the cafe go.

 

[Lankyman]

Another thing which has just occurred to me: the economics of teabags. If after walking I go into a tea room I more often than not get tea in a teapot (not a mug) with additional hot water. This means I can have two or more cups of tea whilst eating my food rather than a single mug which is soon gone or going cold. More table furniture for sure but if you're after a different clientele than cavers then something to consider?

 

[hannahb]

I agree about signage & promotion. It's not that clear (unless you already know) once you're in the shop where the cafe is, either. I know there are signs but people (I include myself) are generally not observant.

Good point Loki, a fry-up is not usually what I'm looking for for breakfast.

I agree with the comments about the veggie breakfasts, too, would much prefer avocado, halloumi, vegetable-type sausages (in fact the Inglesport cafe used to do vegetable sausages when no-where else did).

I think compared to other cafes in the village Inglesport is a lot roomier, a lot friendlier, a lot more relaxed and chatty and down to earth. There aren't little tables and chairs to trip over or tea room vibes to wonder about what the etiquette is. Perhaps that's part of the USP.

The photos and surveys on the walls have always been great. Maybe there could be a greater variety, for other visitors, and a little more made of them with some elevated presentation - frames, signs etc?

None of this is meant as criticism.

 

[cap n chris]

Cavers are notorious tightwads

Indeed. But why?* If people are ok buying a Scurion, for example, and the actual day's caving is effectively free of charge (or a miniscule goodwill fee), why on earth wouldn't they be ok paying the going rate for a Full English? Club hut overnight accommodation is about 80% cheaper than a Travelodge so there should be plenty of spare cash available for the day's caving.

Cavers aren't from a Benefits demographic, surely?

*Is it learned behaviour, or a badge of honour, to be a miser, and proud of it?

 

[Fulk]

Cavers are notorious tightwads

Are they? It's not my experience of cavers.

 

[andrewmcleod]

As I came back from my run around the waterfalls walk, I passed an A-frame board advertising a different cafe, and then a second advertising a pub. I think the street signs are designed to direct waterfalls walkers down the main street and (conveniently) past Inglesport, but anyone with a map/local knowledge is going to head past the chip shop and miss it. Also, as I went past I saw a large 'Cafe' sign on the side of the building which is well-sited to catch passing cars on the one-way system, but probably less well-sited for people coming off the waterfalls walk (as they'd have to look behind them)...

Coincidentally I was planning on going to the cafe this afternoon to get some chips etc. but tidying up at the depot took slightly longer than expected and we would have arrived at around 2:50pm at the latest by which time the cafe often seems to be shutting up? (with no hot food after 3pm?) So we didn't go (but hopefully will tomorrow). It's not the first time we've been caught out by the 3pm rule (I think last time we were there we just squeaked in).

 

[martinr]

To rephrase the V&A museum slogan:

"An ace caff, with quite a nice caving shop attached"

 

[mikem]

Basically it doesn't matter what you ask, you have to go with whatever is currently popular, whether that is using the space for more kit or improving the cafe. Lots of outdoor shops are currently downsizing or going online due to competition. Cavers have huts to stay at, so can do meals there (they were tightwads back in the day, not so much now)

 

[bagpuss]

Indeed. But why?* If people are ok buying a Scurion, for example, and the actual day's caving is effectively free of charge (or a miniscule goodwill fee), why on earth wouldn't they be ok paying the going rate for a Full English? Club hut overnight accommodation is about 80% cheaper than a Travelodge so there should be plenty of spare cash available for the day's caving.

Cavers aren't from a Benefits demographic, surely?

*Is it learned behaviour, or a badge of honour, to be a miser, and proud of it?

Indeed. But why?* If people are ok buying a Scurion, for example, and the actual day's caving is effectively free of charge (or a miniscule goodwill fee), why on earth wouldn't they be ok paying the going rate for a Full English? Club hut overnight accommodation is about 80% cheaper than a Travelodge so there should be plenty of spare cash available for the day's caving.

Cavers aren't from a Benefits demographic, surely?

*Is it learned behaviour, or a badge of honour, to be a miser, and proud of it?

Have never been able to afford a Scurion, got most my kit 2nd hand when starting out and on benefits as a single parent. Still a bit of a tightwad when eating out (old habits..) Local cafes near where we live with seem to do well out of connecting with local groups, private evening hire, day time social groups (eg knit& natter, social prescribing groups arranged via Health Centre etc)
Agree that getting it listed correctly as a cafe on Google will help as when visiting a new area its often how we find places, make sure there is a menu displayed & photos etc.
Cafes that are kid friendly with toys/ colouring etc seem to also be popular.

 

[ZombieCake]

Are there any potential alliances with local food producers? Maybe a push with local paper interviews, radio interviews, and so on. Don't get up North much these days, however down South a good full English is a round the £13-£15 mark.

 

[mikem]

Someone sets up a successful business, loads of other people will try to emulate it, end result is that none of them make any money - most of them fold, leaving only the best at doing the job, or more likely promoting themselves, to carry on

 

[Cantclimbtom]

... ..., or more likely promoting themselves, to carry on

Another cautionary tale. And maybe tough-love to tell Inglesport Cafe that they're rubbish at promoting themselves.
I just Googled it... there are 3 cafes I can go to if I visit Ingleton and none of them are Inglesport!

 

[mikem]

Afraid they don't appear at all in the 10 listed when you click on "More Places", but are 7th when search is "ingleton cafe" (naked man in settle appears on both lists!)

Not quite sure why adding "in" to the search results in goat gap replacing inglesport - they return for "cafe ingleton"....

Country harvest also comes out higher up, even though it isn't actually in village

 

[alanw]

It's on Tripadvisor. No. 2 of "Quick Bites", No. 3 "Coffee & Tea". Perhaps a few 5* reviews from cavers would help?

 

[mikem]

Again, TripAdvisor has some strange output - if you type "ingleton cafe" into search it appears, but click on the magnifying glass and none of them are listed - presumably not paying the fee

& Not sure that reviews will help - both those above it have lower ratings

 

[Lankyman]

Again, TripAdvisor has some strange output - if you type "ingleton cafe" into search it appears, but click on the magnifying glass and none of them are listed - presumably not paying the fee

& Not sure that reviews will help - both those above it have lower ratings

I think reviews are a mixed blessing. Most often I tend to look at Google and Bookingdotcom and view the latest results. I very much take things with a pinch of salt (unless there actually has been a murder/shooting/poisoning event). Places where I've had a perfectly good experience have ruined (allegedly) others' lives because the wallpaper clashes with the soft furnishings. What Inglesport may need (if they don't already have) is someone who's on the ball and regularly monitors online promotion and review options. I used to be self-employed but got out of it (thankfully) before online reviews became such a big thing.

 

[Pegasus]

It's on Tripadvisor. No. 2 of "Quick Bites", No. 3 "Coffee & Tea". Perhaps a few 5* reviews from cavers would help?

That's a great idea

 

[i think it goes]

It's on Tripadvisor. No. 2 of "Quick Bites", No. 3 "Coffee & Tea". Perhaps a few 5* reviews from cavers would help?

Just went to have a look on google maps for 'Inglesport Cafe' to leave a review and everybody is quite right that it is difficult to find, but also its not actually even listed as a cafe on google maps at all, rather as 'Ingelsport LTD'. Perhaps having a second tag on google maps specifically for the Cafe would be beneficial and therefore make reviews of the cafe easier to find. Scrolling through the reviews of Ingelsport LTD, while lots of them mention the cafe, there is no filter for cafe reviews and so at a quick glance it would seem it is purely an outdoor shop?

I admit that I also don't get up North as much as I would like and am a 'tightwad' as some put it, but by the time I've driven up there for a weekend, £12-14 is pretty small-fry if its an occasional meal out and wouldn't change my decision to eat there even if the price had jumped by £5. Wishing you all the best