Visiting Thornbury Morrisons’ Café ahead of proposed closure

Some people become a ‘regular’ at the gym, some people say ‘hello’ to strangers while walking their dog, others want to sit among a hubbub of conversation and clanging cutlery at their local café.

In a world that suddenly turned upside down, trips to Asda or Morrisons became a way for my nana’s partner to chase a sense of normality.

In the early days, these supermarket cafes meant he could get a basic meal when he didn’t feel like cooking. Over time, he's learned the names of staff who take his order and listen to his jokes. They don’t have to ask how he likes the bacon in his sandwiches, they just know.

Morrisons in Thornbury (Image: Newsquest) The closure of 52 in-store Morrisons’ Cafes across the UK means the loss of a safe space for people like him.

The closures are part of a shake-up – hitting some market kitchens, convenience stores, florists, meat counters, fish counters and pharmacies. 365 people are facing redundancy.

The chain said the closures will “renew and reinvigorate Morrisons".

Morrisons’ Thornbury café - just minutes away from the supermarket’s HQ on Gain Lane – is one of those proposed to close. I decided to take a seat at the table before it shuts.

Amid the lunchtime rush, there were friends still passionately chatting, in front of empty mugs and plates, and two elderly women with shopping trolleys parked behind their chairs.

There were two people taking their elderly mum for lunch; young men sat on the sofas; two women smiling at photos on a phone. A middle aged couple tucked into a full English breakfast. Over by the kitchen, staff had cheery moments of laughter in and amongst their jobs. 

Jacket potato topped with tuna mayo and sweetcorn, and salad (Image: Newsquest) For the price of £6.60 I got myself a pot of tea as well as a buttery, jacket potato topped with tuna mayo and sweetcorn, and salad.

It was simple, but it didn't need to be a perfect, avocado-infused display of sourdough toast and eggs. Where else can you find a pot of tea for £1.85 in today's economy?

Supermarket cafes fall into the category of ‘third places’ - public, shared spaces outside of home and work that foster community.

Inside the cafe (Image: Newsquest) Whether it’s a library or lunch at Morrisons, these are the backdrop to moments of life that make you feel human.

You only have to read the comments underneath nostalgic photographs of the long-gone Brown Muff & Co. People still remember visiting the café with their grandparents.

Hidden behind those comments yearning for yester-year is a wish for society to be what it once was – when there was a pace of life that once allowed time for lifts manned by someone in uniform.

If we lose too many ‘third spaces’, we lose a part of what makes us whole.