After objections by two councillors from Wadebridge & Egloshayle, Nice Baps café owners Kevin and Laura Baker, were faced with the prospect of their street trading licence not being renewed. The majority on the council obviously did not agree, and today the entrepreneurial pair heard they have been granted a full licence. So, the Number One eatery in Cornwall, as awarded by Trip Advisor, is open for business and ready to serve you their famous warm welcome and freshly cooked food.
This café is a far from an ordinary roadside eat-in or takeaway. A few years ago, the enterprising owners transformed a shipping container into a fine-looking log cabin and quickly built a reputation for fantastic food and atmosphere. So much so that Trip Advisor is awash with positive comments about Nice Baps and awarded the establishment with number one eatery in Cornwall. A brilliant achievement when you consider Cornwall’s restaurateurs include the likes of Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Jamie Oliver.
So, what were the two Cornish councillors objecting to? Firstly, they don’t like the fact that the name. Nice Baps could be read as a double entendre. On the one hand nice buns being served on the menu and on the other, slang and admittedly not particularly PC, referring to parts of the female anatomy. Point taken but hey! Secondly, the objectors claimed the steel shipping container had been made bigger. In reality Kevin and Laura had spent time and money fixing wooden planks to the outside to make the café look attractive. Fortunately, not all the councillors agreed, and Nice Baps café will still be there in the Three Holes Cross layby to make you do a double-take as you head down the A39 near Wadebridge. By the sound of the atmosphere, menu and rave reviews you may well be tempted to take a break and enjoy a £3 feast from the menu.
An award from Trip Advisor is not the only high recognition the cafe has received. So famous is their reputation that Costa Coffee has tried to buy them out three times. By all accounts even an offer of £120,000 from Cost Coffee was not enough to tempt Kevin and Laura from continuing with their dream. Why not? The pair are clearly brilliant hosts and cooks. Reviews of Nice Baps on Trip Advisor include a “masterclass in the fine art of an all-day breakfast” and “Best breakfast in Cornwall!”.
Former builder and homeless person Kevin was also asked by the impressed owner of a group of pubs in London him to work for them.
There is even evidence that celebrities like the cafe as much as they do the more arguably ‘up-market’ restaurants in Cornwall. It’s rumoured that the Poldark cast, EastEnders actor Joe Absolom and, well known Cornwall fan, ex-Prime Minister David Cameron all number amongst the Nice Baps clientele.
Kevin and Laura are clearly an inspiration for other family businesses but more than that. They also make a personal contribution to what is a challenging Cornish economy. It’s estimated they spend around £5,000 per month with local butchers, bakers and fruit and veg shops. Plus, they have raised over raising over £15,361 towards helping to house Cornwall’s homeless.
I have to say I’m impressed with Kevin and Laura and their venture. The café is only a few miles away from our Cornish escape, Glen Valley Cottage. With such a long drive from Lincolnshire we usually whizz past Nice Baps, keen to get to our holiday cottage. Next time I’m going to meet the owners, congratulate them and sample what looks like a very tasty and good value Nice Baps menu.
Information and useful links about Nice Baps, Wadebridge, Cornwall
Nice Baps postcode and address: Nice Baps, A39 Three Holes Cross Layby, Wadebridge PL27 6EL
Nice Baps phone number: 01208 815001
Nice Baps on Trip Advisor >>>
Nice Baps FaceBook >>>
Nice Baps BBC >>>
Nice Baps Daily Mail >>>
