The new Grandpa Greene's cafe and restaurant has opened its doors for takeaways only this weekend and I went along on Friday to try it out and hear what customers thought.
Located in the former public toilet block on the edge of Uppermill Park, the new venue is serving takeaway ice creams, hot and cold drinks, and a range of sandwiches over the weekend to give customers a “taster of what’s to come”, before closing and reopening as a dine-in restaurant from next week.
The cafe certainly chose the perfect day to open its doors for the first time as crowds had descended on Uppermill for the Whit Friday band contest.
I was anticipating a huge queue outside the cafe when I headed over to get a bite in the late afternoon but was pleasantly surprised to see only a few people waiting at the takeaway kiosk.
The service was incredibly fast, and the staff were friendly and welcoming despite having already worked a very long and busy shift.
I was recommended the freshly baked salt and pepper chicken baguette, which is one of the most popular items on the menu and is made up of chicken breast, salt and pepper mayonnaise, mature cheddar, and rocket.
I ordered the half baguette which cost £5 and went to find a spot on the grass to enjoy it in the sun.
The bread was soft and fluffy, and the baguette had just the right meat, sauce, and rocket ratio.
The salt and pepper mayonnaise added a bit of a kick and extra flavour which definitely took the baguette up a notch from your regular chicken mayo sandwich.
Overall, I thought the baguette was fresh and full of flavour and certainly not dry or lacking in filling as some baguettes have a tendency to be.
I couldn’t go to the new Grandpa Greene’s venue and not order an ice cream so after my baguette I went back and ordered two scoops in a tub for £4.
As a self-confessed chocoholic with a sweet tooth, I went for one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of cookies and cream and was not disappointed.
The chocolate ice cream had a strong chocolatey flavour, enough to satisfy any chocoholic, and the cookies and cream scoop was rich and creamy. The cookie chunks were small but still packed a punch in terms of taste.
The scoops were very generous, and the tub was an edible tub made of ice cream cone meaning you get the best of both worlds, less mess without missing out on a cone.
At £4 for two scoops the ice cream was quite expensive but definitely had a taste of luxury and knowing you are supporting local businesses (Grandpa Greene’s uses Saddleworth Milk) makes it worth it in my opinion.
When I visited on Friday the restaurant section of the new venue was still being completed and behind barriers so it was hard to tell how the venue will look once finished.
The initial planning proposals to convert the former public toilets, which closed in 2018, into a cafe sparked a mixed response, with 121 objections to 37 supporting comments.
Residents expressed concerns over a loss of green space, lack of parking in the area, and litter.
Earlier this month, Grandpa Greene’s was granted a licence to serve alcohol from the new premises, which ignited further controversy with residents raising concerns about the effect of serving alcohol within the park.
Despite the objections to the proposals the majority of customers I spoke to who visited the cafe on Friday gave positive feedback on the new venue.
Katie Wilson and her son George, six, from Saddleworth, ordered a sandwich and two ice creams from the cafe which they ate while sitting on the grass in the park.
Katie said: “The venue is definitely a good addition to Uppermill. The sandwich and ice cream I had were amazing.
"It’s nicer than having to go to Diggle, it’s ideal that it’s more local.
“The only bad thing is there are now no toilets here, but they are opening some.”
Sharing her thoughts on the cafe having an alcohol licence and the controversy it stoked, she said: “There’s a lot of places that sell alcohol and I think the cafe is no different. Let people enjoy themselves.”
Deborah Parkinson, from Dobcross, who also got an ice cream from the new venue, said: “I love Grandpa Greene’s. I live on the canal, and we have one up the road from us.
“I was just taking pictures to send to my friends and saying how lovely it is. You can come and sit and have a glass of wine and watch the kids play and get them an ice cream. It’s under cover so you can come in winter as well.
“It’s a fantastic idea, there are cafes on the high street, but this is a great spot and they’ve done it up lovely considering it was just a rundown toilet. It looks classy and will bring more people here.
“I know there’s also an ice cream van here and they will be affected but there will still be people who go there too.”
Ange, who works at the ice cream van based in Uppermill Park and did not wish to give her last name, said: “The van has been here about 30 years. We’re not worried, people want different things.
“Some people want a traditional ice cream van, and some want something posh. I don’t think it’s going to affect us, and I think there’s enough space here at the park for everybody.”
Another of the cafe’s customers, who did not wish to be named, was less positive about the new venue which she referred to as “Grandpa Greedys”.
She said: “I really don’t like the idea of it at all. They’ve got one in Diggle, there are enough restaurants here, and it’s encroaching on the small green area that we have here.
“It’s not needed and not necessary and it’s taking away the only bit of grass we have.”
She did however say the cafe having an alcohol license was “not a concern” for her as several other venues in Uppermill also have an alcohol licence.
Conversely, Paul Norfolk, from Uppermill, who also ordered an ice cream from the cafe, said: “It’s not taking up any space in the park and it’s going to bring more people in.”
His wife Helen Norfolk, added: “It’s a lot better than the old toilet.”
Agreeing, Matthew Sedgwick, who was sat with the couple in Uppermill Park, described the controversy surrounding the new cafe as a “storm in a teacup” adding, “It’s a great addition”.
Tom, from Coppice, who did not wish to give his last name and also bought an ice cream from the venue, said: “I think they needed to do something as there’s not much in the park area and £3 for an ice cream isn’t too bad.”
Commenting on the venue’s first day open, Emma Travers, operations manager at Grandpa Greene’s said: “We’ve had a queues all day.
“It’s been really positive we’re well known in the community having been in Diggle for 20 years and have had really good feedback from customers here today.
“The restaurant here will have a different menu to the venue in Diggle and will be more of a bistro.”
Emma said that using local produce is integral for Grandpa Greene’s and explained that the bread is from a local baker, the meats are from Stanley Ogden Butchers, and the milk is provided by Saddleworth Milk.
Explaining why the venue chose to initially open for takeaways only Emma explained that the cafe wanted to be open for Whit Friday to introduce itself to as much as the community as possible.
“It’s such a big local day that we wanted to be part of,” she added.
The dine in restaurant is set to open at the venue next Friday and the menu is expected to be announced in the coming days on social media.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here