A Kent railway station is in the running to be declared winner of the World Cup of Stations 2024.
Hollingbourne has made it through to the final four in the South East division of the national competition organised by the Rail Delivery Group.
It is now down to the public to vote in order to see their favourite station win the regional heat on October 14 and perhaps go on to win the national final on October 22.
Hollingbourne is up against Elmsworth, Lewes and Oxford Parkway in the South East region, which is one of 12 regions nationwide.
The contest was established in 2019. Last year’s winner was Wemyss Bay in Scotland.
This year the stations are being judged on their business offering.
Hollingbourne’s submission is The Signal Box Café and community hub, which was renovated by a Community Interest Company and brings people together in a variety of events, from yoga classes to film nights.
The station’s former ticket office and booking hall had remained unused for 32 years, until a partnership between train operator Southeastern, the Kent Community Rail Partnership, the Railway Heritage Trust, and Hollingbourne Parish Council led to the building being brought back into productive use.
It opened as a community hub in May 2023, featuring the Signal Box Cafe, and is run by volunteers.
Voting is open from 8am on Monday, October 14. You cannot vote before Monday.
To place your vote click here.
Cllr Kathy Cox is a director of The Station at Hollingbourne Community Interest Company.
She said: “Housed in a stunning, true-to-heritage renovation of what was a disused building for 32 years, The Signal Box Café started its journey in 2022 and went fully live in 2024.
“The team behind the Signal Box Café succeeded in securing start-up funding and grants from valuable sources who share our vision, to turn the station at Hollingbourne into a vibrant and compelling community hub.
“The team started by gathering community engagement, to align the station’s activities with the call from local people.
“In doing so, it was able to build up a bank of talent, supporters and donors who willingly give up their services, talent, time to make this community hub a very special place.
“The entire community has become involved, from the village school enjoying a pre-Christmas cinema, to reproduced railway memorabilia installed through the kindness of Hollingbourne’s panto group and All Saints Church, Hollingbourne, and to artisan plumbers, floorers, framers, handymen and most of all, to our amazing team of more than 20 volunteers who turn up, rain or shine, to help serve more than 15,000 high-quality breakfasts, brunches, lunches and treats in the last nine months alone.
“Renowned for its community spirit and pride, we are super-proud of Hollingbourne for all that it has done to give this fabulous Victorian Railway building a new lease of life and a new hub for this small, rural village in the Kent Downs National Landscape.”
The competition is intended to celebrate rail, and its importance to local communities.
Martin McTague, the chairman of the National Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Railway stations up and down the country are home to a huge range of small firms, serving their local community, regular commuters and day trippers on a daily basis.
“These businesses contribute such a lot to our local economies and are a great source of employment.
“This competition is a great way to shine a light on the excellent and varied small firms based in and around transport hubs across the UK, showcasing the products and services they have to offer.”
Last year’s competition saw over 72,000 votes cast.
A recent report commissioned by Rail Delivery Group found that rail travel contributes in the region of £23bn annually to local high streets around departure stations, with £9bn specifically benefiting independent businesses.