A bit of recent history here that might jog a few memories. Just thought I’d sneak it in for the nostalgia, more than anything. Yesterday, Top contributor and local history wonk [Howmuch?] was rooting through his large photo collection and found these pictures, from August, 2001. They are of the old Taylors Transport Cafe, possibly the best cafe ever to have existed in Brownhills. Now replaced by housing, the establishment closed at the turn of the millennium, but is nonetheless sadly missed by lovers of fine egg & chips everywhere.

Dingy, dilapidated, and in this photo, derelict. However, it was the top joint for a full English. 2 sugars, milk, strong. Cheers, love.

In the 1970’s, I remember the big, green american car that used to park down the side, it fascinated me. I can remember eating there, amongst the hubub, steam and fag smoke with my dad as a young lad. I recall being fascinated by the pinball machine. I hung out there with mates sometimes as a teenager.

As the years went on and I grew up I was hardly a regular, but I would quite often pop in for breakfast or lunch. I remember the elderly lady who used to take the orders, annunciating them in very precise English. She would then write them out laboriously in full on a ticket. The tea was strong enough to trot a mouse over, and the language ripe, but it was a real greasy spoon. No poncey overpriced lattes and paninis here…

About the closest to Taylors I can think of today is PJ’s, on the A515 at Sudbury. The transport cafe is a sadly dying thing. Perhaps we should cherish it more. Dexy’s Midnight Runners understood…

Replaced by housing, I should think few of the new residents know or care about Taylors. To my generation, however, it was special.