Must be the place to be

Being off work during the week has about as many upsides and it does downsides.

Of course the lie-in is the biggest plus.

But after watching rubbish television about people who might or might not want to move abroad to settle in the sun, unless you have got something planned it starts to go a bit downhill and the biggest drawback is that everyone else is at work.

Nobody can go to the pub, shopping, the cinema or for lunch because they are all busy working away.

Usually on my days off I do very little. But this time I decided I wouldn’t waste the day.

So after a nice lie-in and an hour (ish) in the gym I headed out for a bite to eat.

The cupboards in my humble abode are almost always bare and I never like making food for one.

I made the short drive from Bamber Bridge over to Longton to the Orchid Coffee Bar.

It was just after midday when I got there and already there were people having a natter over a cup of coffee and a cake.

The coffee bar is really well kitted out and modern and, although it is in a row of shops, there’s a fair few tables and it is deceptive in size.

Being on my own I didn’t want to take up a table for four so I went for a high stool at the bar in the window.

It was nice looking out onto the world watching cars and people huddle by.

Dog walkers, horse riders and mums with prams all passed by.

There’s a wide variety of lunchtime food on the menu such as sandwiches, paninis, toasties, jacket potatoes and soup and, of course, as the name suggests, there’s all sorts of different coffees, ones with syrup, ones with cream and, best of all, cake to accompany them.

Aside from the day-to-day menu, there was also a specials menu, which I picked from.

I had the southern fried chicken goujon wrap with side salad and chips (£6.30) and, despite all the coffees on offer, I had a 200ml bottle of coke (£1.70).

I don’t know why but I can never have a hot drink with a meal, it has to be a cold one.

The food came in less than ten minutes and looked scrumptious.

The chips were homemade – a real bonus and, in a nice twist, the wrap had been toasted so the chicken, salad and sauce didn’t fall out.

It was the perfect meal to warm up with on a blustery day.

The side salad was fresh and crunchy and I think the coleslaw was also homemade and was yummy.

As I tucked in more and more people came in for their lunch.

Many of them seemed like locals with the ladies behind the till knowing who they were.

I guess this is the place to be in Longton.

I had eyed up all the different cakes, biscuits and flapjacks on the stand near the counter when I arrived but I was full up after the wrap and chips so I decided not to bother.

But when I went to pay I couldn’t resist, so I bought two cupcakes to take home (£3).

I will certainly visit the Orchid Coffee Bar again.

Maybe next time I will have someone to share the experience with.