Huddersfield Station Buffet owners announce closure of platform cafe after 18 years as 'we cannot continue like this'

Chris and Geraldine Smith first raised concerns about a drop in passenger numbers after the Covid pandemic, when they estimated that there were around 10,000 fewer people passing through Huddersfield Station per day. In the immediate aftermath of the 2020 lockdown, their takings were down by 90 per cent and their main customers were railway staff. Recent rail strikes and timetable issues have had a further catastrophic impact on passing trade.

A notice pinned to the cafe this week read: “It’s been one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever made, but after 18 years we are leaving the buffet. Our last trading day will be Saturday February 18. We have not made the decision lightly but in reality we cannot continue they way we are. We would like to thank each and every one of you for the support you have given us over the years. Chris and Gez.”

In response to a tweet drawing attention to the plight of platform businesses leasing their space from railway companies, one Hull-based passenger said: “It’s so sad. I got on at Brough Station the other morning and the little independent coffee buffet guy was just sat there. It used to be busy on the platform. It’s not just post-pandemic working, people have actively given up on the railway - either driving instead or leaving their jobs.”