Village stop with bikes to see and bites to eat

A PURPOSE-built cafe catering for motorcyclists is attracting a growing number of visitors to the Yorkshire Dales.

Situated on the outskirts of the quiet village of Bellerby, two miles north of Leyburn, the Manor Cafe first opened two years ago.

The idea for a biker’s cafe was first conceived by Simon Taylor, who owns the adjacent motorcycle repair shop. He explained: “I opened the cafe as I thought it would be an ideal place for my customers to go while they were waiting for MoTs or repairs. However, it became very busy and I was happy to sell.”

Earlier this year, having been its manager, Kath Avison bought the business.

Born in Bellerby, she had a motorbike at the age of 17.

However as a single parent to three children, she felt it was irresponsible to own a two-wheeler.

However, her job at the Manor Cafe rekindled the desire to own a motorbike.

Therefore, when her eldest child reached 16, she took the test and promptly bought her own machine – a 600cc Kawasaki.

She explained: “The cafe is my life and my hobby, my customers are delightful and are the best you could have.

They are mostly bikers, or just like bikes. However, I do get soldiers, ambulance, and police officers calling in. Locals often walk up for a sandwich, and I do a breakfast for under a fiver.”

She does get annoyed at the misconceptions that surround bikers and said: “Everyone thinks bikers are young tearaways, whereas 95 per cent of my customers are over 40 and hold responsible jobs.”

With insurance for youthful riders potentially costing more than £1,000, she doesn’t see too many teenagers.

It is easy to see why bikers like the cafe. On a sunny afternoon they arrive in their droves. With their expensive machines parked safely nearby, the cafe’s customers usually choose to sit and eat outside, chatting about their favourite two-wheeled subject.

They regularly hold charitable events and, since opening, the Manor Cafe has raised more then £3,000 for various good causes – Guy Martin’s Big Brew, Road Peace, and the two air ambulances.

owner Kath Avison, who runs the tourist information point and a guesthouse in nearby Leyburn

A jack-of-all-trades, Kath cooks, and brews endless pots of tea and coffee. With all the paperwork she wishes there was more time to spend chatting with customers.

She is keen to emphasise many of her customers don’t own bikes and include families with children, who just like the atmosphere and her cooking. Occasionally she has a hesitant customer who will ask: “Is it OK if we come in, as we don’t have a bike?”

Planning laws are slightly restrictive. At the cafe entrance on the road there is only a small sign indicating its location. Ms Avison feels the lack of signage costs them some passing trade.

The cafe’s off-road location attracts few complaints – in fact bikers travelling through the village are complemented on their observance of the speed limit.

Bellerby resident Ray Sayer first rode motorcycles just after the Second World War.

As a competitive rider he rode against the best, including actor Steve McQueen and Bud Elkins, the rider who actually executed the famous jump in the film The Great Escape. He has met them both several times.

He said: “Bikes now are much more powerful than they were. However, I do find that motorcyclists travelling through the village do slow down and observe the speed limit.”

With 12,000 motorcycles passing through North Yorkshire on a typical bank holiday, Martin Crowson, who runs the Leyburn Tourist Information Point, recognises their value to the local economy.

He said: “Biking is a popular pastime, especially at weekends during the summer months, and motorcyclists represent another facet of the visitor economy that underpins the prosperity of the area.

“A large proportion of recreational motorcyclists are older, mature riders with high disposable incomes.

They will often return when not biking, with their families.

“The Manor Cafe at Bellerby has become a biker destination in its own right and introduces motorcyclists from a wide area to the Yorkshire Dales.”

Pauline Wright, a regular visitor from West Yorkshire, said: “If you go for a run on a sunny day it is somewhere to go where you can get some good grub, have a chat with like-minded folk and get help or advice if you need it.”

However, it is widely acknowledged that not all riders are angels – speeds in excess of 100mph are common.

Martin Crowson

The letters page of the Darlington and Stockton Times recently featured several contributions regarding motorcycle noise.

Summing up the cafe’s attraction, Ms Avison said: “Other places aren’t as welcoming to bikers, so we are an ideal place to call on here in the Dales.”