THE LOCKSIDE CAFÉ, hit by the collapse of the Llangollen breach, has enjoyed a huge shot in the arm as it fights off the threat of closure.
The owners of the café at Grindley Brook, at Whitchurch, tell the combination of a running club event (the café helped to save) and a massively popular dog show that saw more than 250 people visit the site on 10th May.
Jane Beaumont, who runs the café with her daughter Rachel and son Chris explained:
“It was wonderful to see so many people here and for the café to be right at the heart of community life again.
“We had hundreds of runners for Helsby Running Club’s annual Sandstone Trail event, which started from the café this year with Whitchurch mayor Councillor Rose Hall joining us to get the event under way.
“The ultramarathon event was under threat after the breach on the Llangollen Canal blocked its route, but we offered to host the start of the race and helped make sure it went ahead as normal this year.
“The runners had to complete a 32-mile course to Frodsham through ancient woodland, open ridgelines and across the Cheshire plain, with the winner completing the course in just four hours.
“Shortly after that, we had our own fun dog show which brought people in from far and wide and was a really fantastic success.
“The winner was an 11 years old dog called Boss who stole all our hearts. He was picked up as a stray nine years ago and has had a number of health issues including the removal of his spleen and a liver tumour but remains a very happy boy and keeps bouncing back.
“We had the best day of the year so far and it has put a real spring in everyone’s step. We’re now counting down the days to Whitchurch Food Festival this weekend and hope the weather is just as kind as it was on Sunday.
The café’s future was itself thrown into doubt when the Llangollen Canal collapsed at Whitchurch just before Christmas, wiping out the majority of its passing trade overnight. The canal is expected to remain closed for much of the year.
But it was bouncing back thanks to the support of all the community and a calendar of special events planned throughout the year.
Captions:
Top—Runners on the trail.
Middle—Matt Hampson from the running club with Jane Beaumont and mayor Rose Hall.
Bottom—Boss, the winner of the dog show.