Oldest café in Eastbourne celebrates its 67th Birthday

12.00.00am GMT Mon 21st Jan 2008

A popular Old Town café, the Snack Box in Green Street, celebrated its 67th birthday with a bottle of champagne this week.

The proprietor, Mr John Bigsby, said: "When I bought the Snack Box fourteen years ago I was told it first opened in 1941. At the time, the elderly lady I took over from said it was the oldest continuously running café in Eastbourne.

Maybe that's true. Certainly it's been a real pleasure for me running the Snack Box over the years and a few of our regulars were coming here long before I took over.

Some of our younger customers though, think we should change the name of the café to the Tardis because while it may be a small building from the outside we can and do often fit in as many as twenty customers at a time."

Lib Dem parliamentary campaigner Stephen Lloyd added: "I live just up the road from the Snack Box in Old Town and often use it when I feel like a really good, full English breakfast. John, Suzy, Pauline and all the staff are very friendly and welcoming so it's no wonder the café goes from strength to strength every year. Who knows? Maybe they'll be in a position to receive a telegram from the Queen in thirty three years time. Frankly, if I'm still alive and kicking on their hundredth birthday, I'll buy them a crate of champagne to celebrate!"