HEARTBROKEN staff at a family-run tearoom have been overwhelmed by the support and love of their customers since the decision to close the business was announced.
Lady Foley’s Tearoom on platform one at Great Malvern Station is to close on Tuesday, October 31 - but not before customers bid staff a very fond farewell upon their sad departure.
Since the closure was announced, the tea room has been 'inundated' with customers old and new, some of whom have left cards and gifts.
Melissa Baddeley, daughter of the proprietor, said: "We have been absolutely inundated. It's been very touching. The amount of support has been great. We have even had new people coming in, some who have wanted to come for ages. We have had presents, gifts and cards.
"It has been very moving."
The proprietor, Margaret Baddeley, said she had been 'upset', 'emotional' and 'overwhelmed' by the support and affection shown towards the tearoom.
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"I honestly didn't think it would be like this. I didn't realise people liked us so much. People have been leaving their telephone numbers and addresses. It's been so busy. We haven't stopped," she said.
The cafe is named after the landowner Lady Emily Foley, the widow of Squire Foley, who lived at Stoke Edith and was a celebrated benefactor to the Malvern community with a great influence upon town affairs after her husband's death in 1846.
With its high ceiling, traditional fireplace and vintage decor, the traveller stepping into the cafe could be forgiven for thinking they had walked into the lounge of a well-to-do Victorian family.
The grade II listed station provides a striking backdrop to the tearoom which features photos of steam trains and films which capture the romance of the railways, including Brief Encounter.
But there will be more than a few tears at the tearoom later this month. Lady Foley's is on track to close on Halloween (October 31) after 39 years of serving the community, including generations of the same family.
Despite being 162 years old, the station has retained many of its original Victorian features – including elaborate cast-iron girders supported by impressive sculptures of floral arrangements.
The plans to close the cafe have been attributed to a number of factors - lack of customers, the knock-on effect of the train strikes, the disruption caused by restoration work to the station by Network Rail, fewer people using trains because of the high price of tickets and the more general impact of the cost of living on household budgets.
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