with Mark Davison
Epoch Art Gallery, Redhill
O N A DAMP and drizzly February afternoon I sauntered up Station Road, Redhill, towards Reffell's Bridge for a coffee.
Three or four months ago, a new coffee shop opened within the Epoch Art Gallery and a couple of people had mentioned to me that I should call in. They said it was nice in there.
While waiting for a puncture to be repaired at a garage in town, I ambled towards the bridge over the railway. It's actually Reffell's Bridge but many people today think it is pronounced Raffle's Bridge. It was named after a brewer called Reffell who traded on the bridge in Victorian times and had business connections with Gomshall.
There was a cheery welcome when I opened the door. A bright and personable young lady at the counter asked how she could help me.
I said I'd called in for a hot drink and she asked whether I'd like tea, coffee or a hot chocolate. The latter seemed to be the order of the day, especially when she asked if I'd like cream in it. (I declined the marshmallows).
My eyes went to a display stand containing a mound of chocolate tiffin slices and "rocky road" slabs.
I selected a tiffin slice and took a seat near the window.
My eyes wandered to the displays of slick modern art.
A piece created on a large metal mesh sheet, was either entitled (or was painted by) "Captain China".
This cartoon character's eyes seemed to follow me around.
There were scenes of London Bridge under stormy skies and another painting of London Bridge – or perhaps it was Tower Bridge – again, on a tempestuous day.
There was also a framed enlargement of a Mills & Boon bygone book cover entitled True Love Stories.
The "Captain China" had a £1,600 price tag.
The hot chocolate was brought to the table and the smiley lady got chatting. It turned out she was Redhill born and bred and some 30 years ago or more, her parents ran the Foresters public house at Shaw's Corner, Redhill – now re-named The Hatch.
"I was brought up there," she said, reminiscing. "Those were the days when pubs were always packed and there was a haze of smoke and you'd go to school next day with your clothes smelling of stale smoke."
She informed me her parents, Mike and Mary Clapp, still lived in the area – at Woodhatch – and her dad still had a keen interest in golf.
I informed her that I remembered calling in to their pub when I was in my early twenties and remembered it cost 5p to play a song on the juke box.
A plate with the tiffin arrived and I savoured every bite. I gleaned that the young lady – Nicci – was married to Matt, whose father for many years ran Titan Travel in Redhill and then Salfords.
Matt took a break from his framing duties and joined in the conversation.
"I worked for my dad for 20 years," he said. "When he sold the business about eight years ago, I started to get involved in the framing business and later had a shop in Bancroft Road, Reigate.
"There was not enough room for a workshop there so I had to do the framing in the shed at the bottom of the garden. Here I've got a large workshop downstairs and there's an exhibition room downstairs as well."
I was persuaded to order a slice of the "rocky road" chocolate slab.
"We've sold a Banksy here a couple of weeks ago," I was told.
My eyes went to a strident piece of work by Pure Evil. I hadn't heard of these urban artists before, I must confess, but was aware of Banksy.
Pure Evil, I learned, appeared on The Apprentice show on TV a while back.
The rocky road was delivered by my host, Nicci, who is, I was told, a mother of two. Having been brought up in a public house she was used to having people come and go so liked the idea of opening a coffee shop.
She seemed very happy in her work.
The coffee shop is going from strength to strength and now, there is a book club she has started. In addition, cream teas are served on a Saturday. (Fresh scones with butter and jam, £2).
A whole range of coffees are served and the beans are sourced in Brighton "and are the best".
I gazed at the large blackboard under the counter and was amused to see the notice: "We do fat, half skinny, and skinny – you choose."
The book club, I discovered, next meets on March 1 at 10am when the coffee-drinkers will be discussing "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini.
In the corner of the blackboard was written: "We do free wi-fi. Please ask for the code!"
Next time I would have to take up the suggestion of trying a "Spanish-style" thick hot chocolate (£2.75).
It was time to go and wander to the garage to check if the motor was ready. I'm sure all the pot holes around Surrey were to blame for the puncture. The tyre was new only three weeks ago.
