Favourite Spots for a Cup of Tea Around Basingstoke
Sample the perfect cuppa next time you are out with an elderly loved one by taking them to visit some friendly and memorable cafes in north Hampshire.
Enjoy the perfect cuppa next time you’re out with an elderly loved one in the Basingstoke area. Here are some of our favourite places to grab a pot of tea.
Visiting a café is a most enjoyable activity, especially for an elderly relative who can’t get out as much as they would like to. Taking a simple trip out for a lunch or afternoon tea with a relative or friend can be a treat to look forward to.
As a well-established north Hampshire town, Basingstoke, with its historic surrounding villages and beautiful countryside, has developed its own thriving tea culture and provides a host of great places to take elderly relatives or guests.
The Courtyard Coffee Shop, Hartley Wintney
This is a popular, fully accessible little gem which owner Laura set up in the heart of the quintessential English village of Hartley Wintney in 2012.
Walk through the front door into open shop areas on both sides; stop and browse here or go upstairs and spend some time exploring several floors of antiques for sale.
If it’s lunch, tea or coffee you’re after, keep walking straight through into the beautiful cafe courtyard area, which offers indoor and outdoor seating.
Laura explains that The Courtyard uses locally sourced food and caters for all types of dietary requirements. As well as the usual methods of paying, they have a remote-payment procedure for people who have difficulties handling money.
There are a couple of separate dining rooms for private hire or for those who need a quiet space etc. People with hearing impairments are also catered for as most of the friendly staff are able to “sign”.
The regular and disabled toilet facilities are sparkling clean.
Exit through the rear of The Courtyard, and you’re overlooking the local green and cricket grounds, offering an opportunity for a lovely stroll around the duck ponds to round off your relaxing afternoon.
The Courtyard Café can be found at 63 High Street, Hartley Wintney RG27 8NY telephone 01252 842 616
Vemillion, Chineham
A lovely, accessible, totally vegan coffee shop managed by Trudy – Vemillion is based in Chineham Shopping Centre, on the edge of Basingstoke. As well as providing breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee & cake and take-away snacks, Vemillion is building an innovative menu with food for everyone, offered with great service and a welcoming atmosphere.
The menu covers a variety of dietary needs including gluten free, soya free and nut free options, with a lovely range of locally made cakes and other treats. Eat and drink indoors or, on warmer days, in their pleasant, bright outdoor seating area.
The café has a large selection of African art on display and available to purchase. The sale of these paintings helps to fund the purchase of more paintings, providing a lifeline to artists in Ghana who otherwise rely on tourism and volunteers.
Vemillion can be found at Chineham Shopping Centre, Chineham, Basingstoke RG24 8BQ, telephone: 07506 129611
The Coffee Shop, Sherfield on Loddon
An award winning, clean and fully accessible coffee shop. The Coffee Shop offers a breakfast and light meals menu, together with excellent coffee, teas, milkshakes and an abundance of cakes. You can relax on comfortable seating indoors or, weather permitting, make use of the outdoor seating areas which have large sunshade canopies for the hotter days.
The café also provides a takeaway service and includes a handy post office onsite. Daily newspapers and magazines are available just inside the main entrance, so you can catch up on the daily news whilst having a cuppa.
Staff here are very friendly and helpful, and dogs are welcome in the outside eating area. It provides a lovely place to meet up with friends in the heart of the village.
The beautiful village green, just a short distance away, is flat and ideal for an easy stroll. Feed the ducks at the pond, or wander over to watch any cricket, football or tennis that might be happening.
The Coffee Shop can be found on Reading Road, Sherfield on Loddon, Hook RG27 0EX, telephone: 01256 880 091
The Riverside Cafe, Whitchurch Silk Mill
The Riverside Café is on the ground floor of Whitchurch Silk Mill’s Welcome Building, in a beautiful setting on the River Test. The Café is bright, spacious and very clean, and accessible to all. Overlooking the picturesque duck pond, the Café offers a selection of hot and cold drinks, light lunches and a range of delicious cakes, locally made sweet treats and savoury specials from a selection of local suppliers.
The Mill itself is well worth a visit. It is the UK’s oldest working silk mill, a gem of industrial heritage which has been drawing power from the River Test for over 200 years. Visitors can see the Victorian machinery, enjoy video and touch screen explanations, and try weaving themselves. After exploring the Mill, take a stroll around the gardens, and enjoy stunning views of the river.
Whilst there, browse around the Mill shop to find exclusive silk gifts that have been woven at the Mill, as well as a collection of personalised products, greeting cards and giftware. The Mill shop is open from Tuesday to Sunday, and bank holiday Mondays from 10.30am-5pm.
The Café and Mill have extensive accessibility provisions and carers are admitted free – please ask at reception. The Mill is situated in the centre of Whitchurch, click here for How to Find Us leaflet.
Whitchurch itself has several circular walks and is part of the Whitchurch Heritage Trail.
The Riverside Café can be found at Whitchurch Silk Mill, 28 Winchester Street, Whitchurch RG28 7AL, telephone 01256 892 065
The Hobo, Hortus Loci Plant Centre
We popped in to The Hobo.Co café at the fully accessible Hortus Loci Plant Centre, on the road from Hook to Heckfield. Here we found Maisie, one of the managers, busy making some scrumptious looking individual rhubarb crumbles in cute little flower pots. Other tempting delights on offer included home made cakes and various other light bites, with freshly brewed coffee, all available in a great ambience – what more could you want?
The Hobo has plenty of under cover and outdoor seating, and everywhere you look you can see and smell the most wonderful plants and flowers. Why not have a walk around the Plant Centre after your coffee, you’ll be amazed at the many plants, shrubs and garden items for sale here.
They even have a couple of caged bunny rabbits for the extra “aaah” factor.
As well as the cafe at Hortus Loci, The Hobo.Co also has a café at the Farnham Pottery and a mobile catering service, and offer catering at home and at events big and small.
The Hobo.Co cafe can be found at The Hortus Loci Plant Centre, Hound Green, Hook RG27 8LQ, tel 0118 932 6487. Note the Plant Centre is not on a bus route so you will need your own transport.
If you know where to look, there are some lovely cafes tucked away in Basingstoke and the surrounding villages, and we hope we have inspired you to find some. Taking your elderly friend or loved one to a café for tea, coffee, cake or a light meal is a great way to spend a few hours helping them to get out of the house, stretch their legs and enjoy some company.
Would your elderly friend or relative like more support to help them continue to live independently in their own home? We could continue your good work by providing care at home covering companionship, help around the house, outings to cafes or similar, or if needed help with their personal care.
For more information about how our Basingstoke team could help please give us a ring on 01256 840 660 or email us on [email protected]