Otley: ‘Time warp’ cafe up for sale as owners retire

A “time warp” cafe which evokes comparisons with TV’s Last of the Summer Wine has gone up for sale.

Otley Snack Bar has traded in the West Yorkshire market town for 85 years, 21 of them under the management of Di Kerr and Debbie Lamb.

The two businesswomen, both in their 60s, have announced they are selling up to retire.

They told the BBC that their cafe became known for serving “proper food to proper people at proper prices”.

The pair admitted that modern coffee culture and food trends had hit their traditional business model, but said it had remained profitable.

The menu includes Bovril, Spam and scampi and all options are affordable, making it a popular stop-off for elderly shoppers.

Mrs Kerr said: “You have got your lattes and your yuppie bars and all this carry-on.

“But, at the end of the day, proper people want proper food at proper prices made by proper people.

“That’s why it’s survived all these years.”

Mrs Kerr worked at the snack bar for over a decade before she and Mrs Lamb bought it themselves.

The duo have decorated the walls with sarcastic, politically incorrect slogans that are loved by their regulars, and proudly state that their prices are the lowest in Otley.

Mrs Kerr said: “We are in a time warp.”

“It is very much Last of the Summer Wine,” added Mrs Lamb.

There was an outpouring of nostalgia when Mrs Lamb announced her and Mrs Kerr’s departure on social media, but the pair, who both live in Otley, have remained hopeful a new owner could be found for what claims to be the oldest cafe in the town.

They said the café had become a home from home for older customers and helped raise £42,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity.

“There are a lot of lonely people in the world who don’t have a chance to speak to anybody,” said Mrs Kerr.

“We have been glad to make good friends with a lot of them.”

One loyal customer of eight years, Wendy, said the café was special because of “the characters” who came through its doors, as well as “them two [Debbie and Di], the food and the portions”.

“They are just like family in a way,” added Mrs Lamb, who said the business would stay open until a buyer for the premises was found.