Understand
Clitheroe cafe maintains its 1970s charm and goes viral online
Overview
Colborne House Café in Clitheroe, Lancashire, has remained virtually unchanged since the 1970s, featuring original red vinyl seating, wood panelling, Formica tables, and an unchanged kitchen. Recently going viral on social media, owners Gillian and Anthony Swales attribute its enduring appeal to nostalgia and a welcoming atmosphere. The cafe, which was originally a doctor's surgery purchased by Anthony's parents in the mid-1970s, has also served as a filming location for movies and television series.
Key points
- Colborne House Café on Wellgate in Lancashire retains its original 1970s interior, including red vinyl seating, wood panelling, and Formica tables.
- The cafe went viral online after a visitor posted a video questioning if it was the most old-fashioned cafe in the country.
- Owners Anthony and Gillian Swales explain that the cafe has not changed because the design continues to work and appeals to those seeking nostalgia.
- Anthony's parents bought the building, a former doctor's surgery, in the mid-1970s and converted it, preserving features such as an original bank safe in the wall.
- The cafe has been used as a filming location for the musical movie Greatest Days and the documentary travel series Will & Ralf Should Know Better.