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Old 26th September 2008, 12:29
Dave Dave is offline  
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: March, Cambridgeshire
Age: 80
Posts: 5
Back in the 1970s when I was driving for a bloke who had a small yard near Hatfield, there were plenty of cafes in that area. As far as I can remember there was Peter's Cafe on the A1 - about half a mile south of Hatfield; and on the north side of Hatfield was the cafe on the old road at Lemsford - this was known as the 'The Lemmy' and was not far from (Jack) Olding's Corner.

Near the yard, which was at Bell Bar on the old Great North Road (near the BBC transmitter mast at Brooksmans Park) had been another cafe - it was next door to the Cock 'o' the North pub and its public bar was well used by drivers in the early evening and Saturday midday. The yard was so close to the mast that you could occasionally hear music playing in the background - I suppose the telephone lines were acting as an antenna...

When I was going into north London on the A1 I'd sometimes use the cafe at Bignalls Corner - all this has disappeared now as that site today is the South Mimms Services at the M25/A1(M) junction. On the A1000, between Bell Bar and Hatfield, the Rookery Cafe is still open - all the others I've mentioned have gone.
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