The Matabeau Hereford

[Denise Lloyd]

They are saying over on Facebook that The Matabeau Hereford has today shut up shop.  Speculation is that they have gone bankrupt.  This I find incredibly sad it was the one cafe that I would have a cup of coffee in(they served coffee in a cup and saucer!) and their food was always pretty good.  Great shame.

The Chadds staff used to congregate there in the morning prior to going to work - sad old times

[Adrian symonds]

if true that is sad, it have been there for so long, I remember going in with my Mum many years ago as a child. I admit i have not been in there for a few years now. 

My next door neighbour will miss it as she goes there a lot for coffee.

[Denise Lloyd]

Well judging by the comments on FB it is true.  The bailiffs moved in this afternoon.

[Colin James]

This is bad news, the Matabeau has been in Hereford since I was a kid.

[Glenda Powell]

So disappointed if this is true, I used to go in there 2-3 times a week when I was in town shopping. The café was there for many,many years when I was a child. I remember going there with my Mum, Brother and sister, we go to the Odeon cinema and then have a meal there before going to the Ritz cinema  every week! Those were the days !!!.Colin can you put up a link to the facebook page please, Glenda

[ragwert]

Remember the matabeau in the 70's early 80's when it was bigger with the big fans on ceiling.
Also used to go the the Liberal club in Widemarsh St with my mum to meet my gran.Fruit machine 5p a go £5 jackpot.

 

[Bill Thomas]

I am reading many posts on here and on fb that I used to visit many years ago...There is the the reason for the cafe's demise. Last time I was in there was when we were in town Xmas shopping we went in for lunch 

[Slim]

Brilliant fry up for breakfast. Perfect hangover cure. Don't know what to put it down to? Lack of passing trade? People frequenting posher coffee shops? Whatever, great shame. I shall have to go to my number two café now, at the County Bus Station. Yum!!

[Bilbobobby]

You know I've lived and worked in this city and off for 40 years...and it was only last week I went in for a coffee for the very first time. Coffee great but the place was old looking and appeared to be on its last legs. Both the Regency and Ascaris seem to coping and always appear to be busy. If this cafe has closed, end of an era with the current market populated by frothy overpriced multi national cloned coffee shops.

[atm63]

Does anyone know where the name originated from , part of it was I was told by my Mother who is 82 the Beau was Beaumont as in Sam Beaumont and another started it , who knows who the other partner was ??

[DILLIGAF]

Matt?

[Denise Lloyd]

Matt as in Mathews - or so somebody on FB has said - I take no credit for it

[ragwert]

After searching the urban dictionary it's a good job they did not call it Matabo.....

[Colin James]

I often use Ascari's who offer a great breakfast but it is quite expensive compared to other places, such as the Bus Station Cafe, The Regency Cafe and even Wetherspoons! It is good to have a choice of places.

 

I would try the Cafe Bodega in King Street but the last two times I have visited was a waste of time. First time, all lights were on and people inside, it was 0.40am- 9.45am and we wanted breakfast, door was open but the guy inside said we do not open until 10am, there was no offer to come in and wait or anything like that, so we went to Ascari on that day. The next time we visited was at 11.30am and we were told they finish serving breakfast at 11am but they do not open until 10am, so again, we went to Ascari for Breakfast weird opening times and breakfast policy.

[ragwert]

I often use Ascari's who offer a great breakfast but it is quite expensive compared to other places, such as the Bus Station Cafe, The Regency Cafe and even Wetherspoons! It is good to have a choice of places.

 

I would try the Cafe Bodega in King Street but the last two times I have visited was a waste of time. First time, all lights were on and people inside, it was 0.40am- 9.45am and we wanted breakfast, door was open but the guy inside said we do not open until 10am, there was no offer to come in and wait or anything like that, so we went to Ascari on that day. The next time we visited was at 11.30am and we were told they finish serving breakfast at 11am but they do not open until 10am, so again, we went to Ascari for Breakfast weird opening times and breakfast policy.

Can't beat Ascari's,we use them for party  buffet,can be a tad expensive but you get quality food.

[Adrian symonds]

I am reading many posts on here and on fb that I used to visit many years ago...There is the the reason for the cafe's demise. Last time I was in there was when we were in town Xmas shopping we went in for lunch 

Excuse me for not going into town and sitting in a cafe. If I go into town which is becoming less these i normally do what i have to do and go straight back home, the only time I have a coffee in town these days is when I meet a mate and that is only normally the coffee cart.

 

To be honest, I see no real reason to eat or drink in town unless you are meeting some one. 

[ragwert]

Excuse me for not going into town and sitting in a cafe. If I go into town which is becoming less these i normally do what i have to do and go straight back home, the only time I have a coffee in town these days is when I meet a mate and that is only normally the coffee cart.

 

To be honest, I see no real reason to eat or drink in town unless you are meeting some one. 

And a happy new year to you too Adrian.....

[DILLIGAF]

Mr Symonds you really are a ray of sunshine. Thank you

[Adrian symonds]

And a happy new year to you too Adrian.....

 

 

Mr Symonds you really are a ray of sunshine. Thank you

So tell me, why would I need to sit down in a cafe in town to have something to eat when  I am a 15 minutes walk away from home? 

Sure if i was meeting someone in town and they say lets pop into the Regency and have a something to eat I may do so, but if I am in town by myself i do not feel the need to do that. 

 

Just because I do not eat out, do not make me unhappy.

[Paul Jones]

Excuse me for not going into town and sitting in a cafe. If I go into town which is becoming less these i normally do what i have to do and go straight back home, the only time I have a coffee in town these days is when I meet a mate and that is only normally the coffee cart.

 

To be honest, I see no real reason to eat or drink in town unless you are meeting some one. 

 

So why do you think it is sad for it to close if you see no real reason to eat or drink in town?

 

May as well close all cafes, restaurants and bars down then.

[Adrian symonds]

So why do you think it is sad for it to close if you see no real reason to eat or drink in town?

 

May as well close all cafes, restaurants and bars down then.

I should have said it differently I suppose, I see no reason for me to eat or drink in town unless meeting someone.  I know people uses cafes for lunch if they are working in town and other people do like to pop into town and pop into a cafe for something, that is not me.

It is sad because people do use it and because it have been part of the city for so long. I like the older type cafes to be honest, i do not like these posh ones that spring up with tacos and stuff like that. 

 

When i go into town to be honest, I just want to get in, do what I need to do and get back home again, never used to feel like that, I used to love wandering around town.

 

[herefordman75]

It is a sad state of affairs that it is closing down, although I suspect a lot of that is the proliferation of "gourmet" coffee chains popping up, the lack of investment in the actual building (looks the same as it did back in the 80's - and probably before that too!) and maybe even the change in shopping habits. Since the shops started closing at that end of High Town, people don't feel the need to head that far along the street, stopping at Costa on the way down, or even Mcdonalds instead.

 

There are many reasons, none of which we will really find out, unless someone knows the proprietor, until then it's speculation. I just hope that whatever they can sell from the business to cover the debts incurred are enough to not affect the owners personal situation.

[bobby47]

At least one of the staff has discovered that their former employer has not paid in any National Insurance contributions for nigh on a decade.

[Ken Baynham]

I don't think the problem was lack of trade.

 

I've used the  Matabeau over the years and more so since I have been retired. I have met a friend there every Wednesday for the last seven years and was always busy in the mornings for breakfasts and often at lunch times we were lucky to find a vacant table . May have been undercharging two delicious crispy cheese and onion rolls and two very large mugs of tea only £5.90.

 

A sad loss to the community.

 

As commentated in earlier posts the name originates from two solicitors and councillors that originally owned it together with most of the area now occupied by Maylord Orchards.

[Paul Jones]

I don't think the problem was lack of trade.

 

I've used the  Matabeau over the years and more so since I have been retired. I have met a friend there every Wednesday for the last seven years and was always busy in the mornings for breakfasts and often at lunch times we were lucky to find a vacant table . May have been undercharging two delicious crispy cheese and onion rolls and two very large mugs of tea only £5.90.

 

A sad loss to the community.

 

As commentated in earlier posts the name originates from two solicitors and councillors that originally owned it together with most of the area now occupied by Maylord Orchards.

 

I have seen busy businesses close due to the poor running of a business, so it is not always because they were quite or local competition, sometimes it is down to bad practice behind the scenes.

[Harry Beynon]

The Matabeau is another victim of The Cattle Market development. When the City Fathers chose to accept a miserly £1m for Hereford's most valuable piece of real estate, they gave their blessing to a shift in the centre of gravity of Hereford's retail trade. The argument for this seismic shift was that the new development would generate extra trade and this would cascade down to the rest of the city. It was never going to happen. As a consequence, businesses now on the fringe of the central area struggle.

[ragwert]

The Matabeau is another victim of The Cattle Market development. When the City Fathers chose to accept a miserly £1m for Hereford's most valuable piece of real estate, they gave their blessing to a shift in the centre of gravity of Hereford's retail trade. The argument for this seismic shift was that the new development would generate extra trade and this would cascade down to the rest of the city. It was never going to happen. As a consequence, businesses now on the fringe of the central area struggle.

Seriously, what a load of crap

[Paul Jones]

The Matabeau is another victim of The Cattle Market development. When the City Fathers chose to accept a miserly £1m for Hereford's most valuable piece of real estate, they gave their blessing to a shift in the centre of gravity of Hereford's retail trade. The argument for this seismic shift was that the new development would generate extra trade and this would cascade down to the rest of the city. It was never going to happen. As a consequence, businesses now on the fringe of the central area struggle.

 

What a load of rubbish! Hereford is busier then ever since the new development opened. 

[Victor Wright]

What a load of rubbish! Hereford is busier then ever since the new development opened. 

 

I completely agree 

[Harry Beynon]

Oh really? Then why is The Maylord and Commercial St festooned with empty shops?