Cafe On The A127 Southend Arterial Rd

Do you mean Green Tiles? Or perhaps The Blinking Owl but that may have been a bit further.

I think Green Tiles was further on towards Southend. This cafe was after Ardleigh Green Rd and I tbink it was before Hall Lane on the way to Southend.

Can you describe tbe Green Tiles? It's started to ring a bell. Did it have a big truck park out front and a juke box? Where was it exactly, Ron?

Ron, what about the Avenue Cafe? I read on Yahoo there were motor cyclists there and it was opposite the Green Tiles Cafe about 3 miles east of Gallows Corner. Do you remember it? If so, which side of the road was it on?

There was the Knoll Cafe on the right hand side slightly raised up from road level.I think it was the first one you came to after the lights.
Derek Wright

The cafe I remember was on the left going east maybe a mile or two from the lights. It was on the same level as the road. Favourite cafe for motorcyclists.

Maybe the Palms Hotel was built on the site of the old cafe.

I remember both of the those cafe's. The Green Tiles was the one on the Southend bound side of the road almost opposite was The Avenue Cafe. In those days they were pretty much surrounded by paddocks and yes there was a large area where trucks could pull in.

Motorcyclists used mainly the Green Tiles but tolerated us push bike riders. I can remember speed trials late in the evening. Mostly between Vincent Black Shadow owners and the Norton of the day. It was usually a timed run and everyone would be outside to watch.

The Avenue was more for the racing cyclists...to be part of this scene was quite exciting as I remember it, especially on fireworks night when a pitch battle would take place between the two cafes with fireworks and other more lethal munitions procured from ex-arrmy supply shops.

The racing cyclists favoured these cafe's because the Southend Arterial Road was a recognised time trial course and used for their races very regularly. The two cafes were the place we all went for bacon and eggs after a race or mid week after training

Thanks so much, Mike. I spent some time in the Avenue Cafe especially when we were 'taking time off' from school. I seem to recollect a big 2 storey building. I guess the owners must have lived upstairs.

I once joined the Gainsborough Cycle Club. which held weekly meetings at the Green Tiles Cafe. My bike left a lot to be desired being made from spares which my dad obtained, it had a fixed speed gear. I was about 14-years old. c1952. I took part in a time trial to Southend-on Sea and back, by the time I arrived back at the cafe the members were about to leave for home.