A Covid secure venue
Management update 10.09.2020
Another update from us to assure you, our customers what is being done to ensure we remain Covid secure. Remember, if you are unwell please do not visit us for any reason. Follow official guidelines from government sources and get the latest advice. Links for this are at the bottom of this page.
Changes to our service you should know about –
When you arrive please wait to be greeted and seated by the host. The host will take your ‘test and trace’ information or if you are able you can submit this yourself using a QR code. Once you are at your table please remain seated unless you would like to use the toilet. Your order will be taken at the table and all your items will be brought to you, including the bill and the card machine at the end.
Should you need anything at all when you visit, please signal to a staff member who will come and help you.
Please note -
table reservations are not being taken and tables are allocated on arrival.
The maximum people at one table is 6. Table and chairs cannot be moved. At busy times, a waiting list may be in place in order to get a table, please leave your details with the host and remain in sight and we will get you seated as soon as we can. Thanks for your patience and for visiting us.
Mitigating measures are ongoing -
- A Covid risk assessment is in place and the staff are observing the guidelines within it
- Staff wash their hands at least every 30 minutes, you will hear the timers on your next visit.
- High tough areas are sanitised regularly, including the toilet.
- Please allow the staff and other customers the room they need to serve you and others.
- Tables and chairs are sanitised after each parties use.
- Single use menus and condiments are being used.
- Pay with card if you can and use the alco gel available.
- Wash your hands if possible before you eat.
- Please use the entry and exit system to avoid crossing over with other parties
It’s not business as usual for us and we are doing all we can to remain stable as a business, forecast for the future and keep everyone safe. We are really happy to be able to return a more regular service, but please be kind, have patience and expect possible delays at busier times while extra precautions are taken.
Need more information?
Please call us or send an email to hello@thelongholme.com
Thank you, we look forward to welcoming you.
Tom, Andreas and all the team.
Commencing 23.07.2020
Our kitchen re-opens
Toilets if you eat in
Our kitchen re-opens
It’s good news as the grills and hotplates come back to life. We will be offering a all day brunch menu, sandwich choices, children’s options & more Daily from 9am - 3pm.
Table service starts
Toilets if you eat in
Our kitchen re-opens
To save queueing and roaming around, please wait to be served at your table.
Hand washing facilities are available. Use contactless payment if possible.
Toilets if you eat in
Toilets if you eat in
Toilets if you eat in
To keep the area as safe as possible toilets are only available If you have a table. Please feel free to self sanitise using our chemicals and roll available.
Take away available
Thank you for your patience
Toilets if you eat in
If we cant find a table for you, please consider a take away, just for coffee or cake or anything from our menu. Please order with the host when you arrive.
Walk-ins welcome
Thank you for your patience
Thank you for your patience
Seating will be allocated on arrival and Is subject to availability. Our largest table is for 6 people. Reservations are not available at the moment, sorry.
Thank you for your patience
Thank you for your patience
Thank you for your patience
We really want to make sure your experience is a great one. As we get back into the swing again please allow 20/30 minuets for food after ordering. Thank you .
Limited services continue
Updated 02.07.2020
Hello everyone,
If you have visited us, thank you! Please continue to enjoy our limited services when you’re in the park and follow the prompts from staff and signage as you have done before.
As the local infection rate of the virus remains in question, we have decided not to open further services for the next 2/3 weeks. With this delay so late into the season it may mean that boat hire @ The Longholme for 2020 will not open at all this year but more updates in this area will be given when we can assess the correct information.
Putting at The Kiosk is still under review, when this service opens again, we will share information to our social sites.
With this in mind, we have decided that tables and chairs will not return to the operation for the near future and the focus will be on take away only.
We have created an efficient service designed to be contact free where possible that has had many positive customer comments, to make changes at this stage would prove ineffective in our opinion and complicated to deliver for such a rapid service.
It’s not all bad news!
You can still visit us for:
Picnic bags, hot drinks, cakes, cold drinks, gelato and snacks to take away @ The Longholme 7 days a week, 09:00 – 17:30.
Fresh juices, great coffee, smoothies and snacks 7 days a week @ The Kiosk
09:00 – 17:30.
We are currently only accepting card payments, please use contactless payments if possible when you pay & make use of the hand gel provided on your next visit.
Our staff remain vigilant on all the safety precautions we have made, please continue to show your support by waiting patiently while they serve you safely. These include the sanitation of high touch areas and hand washing when timers sound and as needed.
Please be advised that our toilets remain closed as these are reserved for staff use only as part of our risk assessment.
Thank you for supporting all local business at this time and doing your bit to keep Bedford safe.
With love,
Tom, Andreas & all the team.
Try a Iced vanilla latte :)
Picnic bags now available
Updated 07.06.2020
If you have been to visit us since we opened again, thank you! We have had lots of reassuring comments about the set up and how our customers feel safe using it.
As the time passes we look to add more food options to our service.
At the moment our usual kitchen menu remains suspended. In place of our usual food offering and in a an effort to keep the service contact free, we are introducing picnic bags, to take away.
What is available?
- Hot drinks
- Cold drinks
- Cakes &Tray bakes
- light snacks & fruit
- Sandwiches & wraps ( as pictured while stocks last)
You don't need to pre-order any of our products. Join the distanced queue and follow the collection process while maintaining your distance from others and the staff. This is a trial offering and we hope that it helps you to further enjoy your time outside with something more sustainable to eat!
Card payments only - Please use the Alcohol gel provided - Stay safe
A Selection of wraps and sandwiches, flavours may differ on the day.
All contain gluten
We are coming back to service, slowly
Limited services have re-opened - updated 13.05.2019
After over 6 weeks of closure we have been busy looking after the various areas of our business. We have made significant adaptations to our workspace to make the area more efficient and essentially, safer. Having all been though the motions of the lock down together, here are some of the precautions we will take as we start to come back to service and re-open parts of the business.
In addition to the precautions we took coming into this, we’re also adding and re-enforcing the following.
- Take away options only will be available for a short while longer
- Perspex screens are in place for the protection of both staff and customers
- Alco-hand gel will be available for both staff and customers to use
- Our service will be completely contact free for a while longer
- Our kitchen will be closed initially but will re-open with a limited menu when we have regulated the system and checked the demand in this area.
- Que systems will be in place with marked collection areas for your items.
- We will operate a one-way system for ease of service
- High touch areas will be disinfected frequently. Hand washing will be frequent and other precautions will be taken by our team to ensure good precaution.
It is not quite The Longholme as we know it, but it is a welcome, safe, change to the new normal.
Please also take your own responsibility and precautions when you visit and keep at least 2 meters apart, use card payments where possible. Boat hire will remain closed at this time.
The Kiosk in Russell park will remain closed initially (if you have linked through). More updates later.
If you have symptoms, get well soon but please do not visit.
Temporarily closed
All of our services have been suspended - 24.03.2020
When you open a business, you start a journey into the unknown. This picture was taken on the day we opened in 2017. Along the imaginations of your journey, something like a global virus outbreak is never in the plans, but it's now everyone's problem & impacts our local community directly.
When we opened The Longholme we set a high standard and a basic requirement to look after our guests. During the outbreak we have assessed each update from the government and conducted our own risk assessments, with the main question being - can we safeguard against this and operate responsibly?
While we personally do need coffee to operate daily, sadly it would be non essential unless you enjoy it at home ( for the moment). Following the address from The Prime minster last night, we could not confidently satisfy our question any longer, the situation has caught us up.
In the interest of public protection, staff protection and to safeguard the business too, we have closed temporarily. We anticipate a 1 month closure but will review frequently as it may be longer. As a seasonal business, we hope to see some sunshine this summer and welcome everyone back for better times in 2020.
If you want to show your support at this time, if you haven't done so already, please leave us an online review and share your best memories, so we can look towards making more with you in the future.
With thanks to all our customers, our staff and our supplies at this difficult time. We will fight on for as long as we can and will endeavour to open again as soon as we can.
Tom, Andreas & Team Longholme
Doing what we can, while we can.
Help us, help you, follow advice from official sources.
UPDATED 19.03.2020
ALONGSIDE AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF FOOD HYGIENE CHECKS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE BELOW TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. AS THE SITUATION CHANGES, AS WILL OUR OPERATION AND PRECAUTIONS.
CASH WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED, FOR THE TIME BEING
WE’RE VERY SORRY FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE BUT WE HAVE MADE THIS DECISION TO PROTECT OUR STAFF AND OUR CUSTOMERS. All major card payments are very welcome, no minimum spends apply.
WE WILL OPERATE PRIMARILY AS A TAKE AWAY SERVICE.
TO SAFEGUARD OUR CUSTOMERS AND STAFF WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO ORDER YOUR ITEMS AND UTILISE THE OPEN PARK SPACES LOCALLY, AWAY FROM OTHERS. VERY LIMITED SEATING WILL BE AVAILABLE AND OUR REAR COURTYARD WILL BE CLOSED. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT RE-USABLE CUPS THAT CUSTOMERS BRING FROM HOME.
THIS IS TO LIMIT CROSS CONTAMINATION.
OUR CUPS & LIDS ARE RECYCLED AND FULLY BIODEGRADABLE.
ADDITIONAL ONGOING PRECAUTIONS ON SITE
· OUR STAFF WILL BE WASHING THEIR HANDS AT VERY FREQUENT INTERVALS
· HIGH TOUCH AREAS AND FOOD PREPARATIONS AREAS ARE BEING SANITISED REGULARLY WITH A ‘BS EN 1276’ COMPLIANT DISINFECTANT.
· STAFF WILL BE WEARING FOOD PREPARATION GLOVES WHERE POSSIBLE AND WHEN PREPARING FOOD.
· INDUSTRIAL VOLUMES OF HAND SANITISER ARE ON ORDER BUT HAVE BEEN DELAYED, PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU EAT OR DRINK
HOME DELIVERY SERVICES RETURNING SOON - UPDATES TO FOLLOW.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Symptoms may develop up to 14 days after exposure to someone who has COVID-19, these included - a persistent cough, difficulty breathing & fever.
If you have any of these symptoms or know someone that does, please stay at home and follow advice posted at www.nhs.uk or call 111 if you do not have internet access.
We are acting on the best advice available to us from www.gov.uk and using our best judgement.
If you have any questions that relate to our operation directly ( at any location) please contact us.
Tom , Andreas & The Team
