In the Spring 2009 Town Crier there was a picture of the official opening of the Mousehole Cafe in 1959 with a very early Italian coffee machine.
After the Mousehole closed, the cellar lost some of its sense of fun.
On 8th July 2012, the cellar re-opened as a cafe again, run by Throwing Buns, and called Basement Buns. It seems to have again found that Joie de vivre.
If anybody has any pictures of the days of the Mousehole in days gone by, please let Phil and Kate, from Throwing buns, know. They would like to display some pictures of their heritage.
Oh wow I Must pay a visit……
Went for coffee in basement buns the other day and was excellent. Nice atmosphere and good service – well done guys!
we went in today, was so packed the first time we couldn’t get a table (at 11.30am), went back half hour later and managed to find a space. Really excellent food, especially the yummy cake.
I remember the cafe in the 60’s. Think it was called
‘ the Mousehole ‘. It was the in place to hang out. They served frothy coffee in Pyrex type cups & saucers & Pepsi in bottles with a straw….very cool!
Any anecdotes about the ‘Mousehole’ would be welcome. Did you meet your spouse there ? did your mum mind you going there ?
Any thing at all and any pics would be great.
Send ’em to: bframpton@hotmail.com
ThanKS….
I remember the mouse hole.we used it as a meeting place for info, where is the party tonight.? We use to spend hours over a froffy coffee and melting the candle wax all over the
Chianti bottles.the owner at the time was Frankie.
Regards.
Simon
All Hot drinks only £1 !!!
IT FIRST OPENED IN 1959. IN 1963 IT JUST HAD COFFEE TABLES AND CHAIRS WITH A LOW RED SLATE LEDGE AROUND ALL OF THE WALLS FOR SITTING ON. IT HAD THE FIRST “FROTHY COFFEE” MACHINE IN ABINGDON. THERE WAS A HUGE BOX IN THE LADIES TOILET ENCOMPASSING THE ACTUAL JUKE BOX. YOU SELECTED YOUR CHOICE OF RECORD ON A SMALL UNIT ATTACHED TO THE WALL OUTSIDE THE LADIES. WE COULD PLAY IT AS LOUD AS WE LIKED AND STAY THERE TILL GONE 10 AT NIGHT. NO NEED TO GO TO THE PUBS IN THOSE DAYS. EVERYTHING WAS TWO SHILLINGS. COCA COLA (NOT PEPSI) CHEESE ROLLS, CHEESE & TOMATO ROLLS, FROTHY COFFEE. IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO BE. MET MY WIFE THERE.