Access is from street level. Although there is some accommodation immediately within the door there is a step up to the main caf. There is another step down to the toilets.

We were shown to a table and immediately spotted a notice. 'The use of mobile phones is not permitted in the tearoom'.

We were given plenty of time to scan the comprehensive menu with all items falling within our current budget of £6.75 a head.

Vegetable risotto with side salad and crispy roll for example, costs £5.75.

Home made soup of the day (£3.25) is not available during hot weather. This struck us as a bit of a lottery for the chef!

Ann counted 15 fillings for sandwiches served in white or oatmeal bread, mostly costing £3.50 or less. Under the heading of Potpourri is Bread and Cheese. Defined as 'superb English and continental cheese's with crusty bread, a selection of savoury biscuits, pickled onions and plum chutney', it seemed a far cry from the traditional prison fare, with or without the stray apostrophe!

A home-made cheese scone (£1.60) toasted and served hot with butter (not between 12pm and 2.30pm on Saturdays) was Ann's choice. It was good.

At £2.25 I couldn't resist a piece of home-made rich dark fruit cake, another excellent choice.

Although it was too early for us it was refreshing to find a venue offering high teas.

Choosing from sandwiches, baked beans on toast, boiled eggs with toasted soldiers or cheese and tomato on toast, this would be followed by a fruit scone and clotted cream, cakes and fancies plus a pot of tea. At £9.50, this was maybe a touch pricey because, by my reckoning, the cost of the individual items came to less.

Our snack concluded with hot chocolate with cream (£1.85) for Ann and a cup of house-blend black coffee (£1.30)for me. A refill is 70p.

Updated: 16:18 Friday, September 02, 2005