Roy Cafe

THIS is the last contribution
to Past Forward made by
Nicholas Webb (written under
his latest pseudonym!) before
his departure for pastures new
(see page opposite).
THE fast food chains and greasy
spoon cafes are now such an
accepted feature of our towns that
it must be difficult for younger
readers to imagine life without
them. But at one time there was a
range of pleasant tea rooms and
restaurants in every English town
where one could relax after business
or shopping, take a fair companion
for a cosy chat, or celebrate a minor
occasion in reasonably civilised
surroundings.
Older Wiganers who regret the
passing of these establishments
where one could order a pot of tea
or a hot lunch, and be served by
charming waitresses in frilly aprons,
may remember The Roy Cafe,
illustrated here. This was situated at
the corner of Marsden Street and
Hope Street, overlooking Market
Square. The proprietors were
originally Richard and J.R. Gorner,
whose entry in the 1938 Directory
of Wigan advertised ‘luncheons,
teas, suppers, wedding parties etc....
open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.’ The interior
photograph of The Roy puts one in
mind of the Kardomah Cafes which
featured in films of the period,
notably David Lean’s Brief
Encounter (1944) based on Noel
Coward’s play Still Life, as the scene
of the first tryst between Trevor
Howard and Celia Johnson.
The Gorner family seems to have
started catering in this way during
the early 1900’s. Jacob Gorner’s
dining rooms at 17 Market Arcade
were advertised from at least 1909
onwards. The business was entered
under Richard’s name in the 1920’s,
and from the 1950’s was described
as a cafe; at least one regular user
of Wigan Archives Service has
recalled his nostalgic affection for
Gorner’s cafe in ‘The Little Arcade’
which existed there until the early
1970’s. The Roy Cafe, meanwhile,
changed hands in the late ‘50’s but
continued to operate under that
name until about 1962. The whole
area was demolished in the 1980’s
to make way for The Galleries.
These photographs, which
prompted the article, were kindly
donated by Mr. Hulme from the Isle
of Man



https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Resident/Leisure/Museums-and-archives/archives/Past-Forward/pf23.pdf

I can’t remember the cafe, Lolly. That’s interesting, thanks.

There’s a photo on the magazine cover as well:

Staff assembled outside the cafe on the occasion of the Coronation of
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, 1937.



I wonder how their prices compared to Costa?

I bet it didn't costa fortune

At the limit of my memory I can remember the building, but it was not a café then. Perhaps my mind is playing tricks but I am sure it was a shop for prams and bikes?

I had a Saturday job at a cafe in the same spot it would be roundabout 1965,I think it was called the Wishbone. There was a shop next door called the Creche according to the write up under the first photo Cad, maybe that's what you remember

This is how I remember it...



... I think Warburtons was furniture?

Actually, I think I am way way off base. Roy's Café was where BHS back door was... right?

Yes Near BHS back door.

Posted by: art (6154)

Used to be Roy café, later Wishbone, corner of Marsden St/Hope St

Then I am totally wrong then. Roy Cafe was on the corner of Marsden Street, Warburtons on the corner of Mesnes Terrace, and it is this I remember. I can only ever remember the BHS entrance, the cafe must have gone before I reached my informative years.

That area was flattened in the 80s to make way for the Galleries. You must have been out of short pants by then

The BHS entrance was built in the 60s, and I was still in my short pants then There is a photograph of an old gent stood outside this entrance watching the Market Hall come down. I will hunt it out.

The photographer of this piccie would have been stood directly across from the cafe...



Just as a point of interest, the Conroy Bros Fruit Shop was run by the family of Mark Conroy (Bennielechat).

BHS didn't acquire the property until the early '70s. There used to be a yard between the Wishbone and BHS where I used to park my car when I worked in Marsden Street in '69/'70, then BHS built over the yard joining up the buildings. The entrance to BHS was further along Hope Street and is still there but not used since B & M moved in.

Cadfael wrote:The BHS entrance was built in the 60s, and I was still in my short pants then There is a photograph of an old gent stood outside this entrance watching the Market Hall come down.  I will hunt it out.

The photographer of this piccie would have been stood directly across from the cafe...



Just as a point of interest, the Conroy Bros Fruit Shop was run by the family of Mark Conroy (Bennielechat).

I always thought that Conroys had a stall inside the fruit/veg market. Possibly opposite Polits stall? Almost opposite the shop on Hope Street'

I remember Mark aka Bennielechat. RIP

I think Mark said the delivery/wholesale side of the business was based in Hope Street, they did have a stall in the fruit market They used to supply my families shop in Platt Bridge before they sold it to Seth Ratcliffe.

Donkey Oaty wrote:BHS didn't acquire the property until the early '70s.  There used to be a yard between the Wishbone and BHS where I used to park my car when I worked in Marsden Street in '69/'70, then BHS built over the yard joining up the buildings.  The entrance to BHS was further along Hope Street and is still there but not used since B & M moved in.

I bow to your better knowledge on that. I cannot remember there not being the BHS doorway... and I had totally forgotten the side entrance!