Writings and Essays
Rendezvous by Julia Darling
I would like us
to meet where
the
Horlicks is sweet.
I could tell you my
story with a
knickerbocker glory.
Talk of mermaids
all day, spooning
pear parfait.
Licking ninety-nine
cones, we could
turn off our phones.
Smile, perhaps
disappear, with
a
chocolate eclair.
Rendez Vous with
the sea and
the
sugary breeze.
Come eat
strawberry flan,
while we can,
while we can.
© Julia Darling 2003.
I would like us
to meet where
the
Horlicks is sweet.
I could tell you my
story with a
knickerbocker glory.
Talk of mermaids
all day, spooning
pear parfait.
Licking ninety-nine
cones, we could
turn off our phones.
Smile, perhaps
disappear, with
a
chocolate eclair.
Rendez Vous with
the sea and
the
sugary breeze.
Come eat
strawberry flan,
while we can,
while we can.
© Julia Darling 2003.
This iconic art deco listed building is one of the remaining original 'landmarks' on the famous sea front that represents Whitley Bay past, present and future, encompassing the history of the English seaside holiday, warm summer days, and balmy evenings looking out onto the magnificent North Sea.
For decades the Rendezvous has supplied the very best homemade ice cream from the serving hatch on the side of the building, with such traditional tempting delights as old-fashioned sugar cones, '99s', marshmallow and ice cream wafer 'sandwiches', and you can still take along your own container to be filled with delicious ice cream to take home!
The café is an emporium of good coffee, hot chocolate, sandwiches, pastries and hot dogs, all so welcome on a cold winter's weekend when locals and visitors come down for a 'breath of fresh air' before stopping off for a breather on a walk along Whitley Bay's proud North Promenade; even dogs can enjoy a lie down as all are welcome at this warm seaside café.
The friendly family who run this unique palace of refuge have kept it the same since the 1950s, apart from the occasional restoration — the beautiful well-trodden parquet floor (admire the craftsmanship!) has just been cleaned and waxed, the interior subtly freshened-up, and the bold external "ICES" signwriting restored after years of lashings by the weather. The tables and chairs have withstood thousands of day trippers and what stories this furniture could tell! The inner walls have become a place for local artists to show their work, adding a splash of colour and another dimension to this haven of relaxation, renewal and refreshment.
© Heather Carr 2009. Heather has been a resident in Whitley Bay for many years and a Rendezvous Regular™!
Wondrous place by Chris Wilson
If 1970s Whitley Bay reappeared in the mists like a sort of Brigadoon, this seafront temple of the snackular would look pretty much as it does today.
A wondrous place and just the same as ever it was, with its lovingly preserved decor and big arched windows looking out onto the panorama of sand and foam, the "Ren-dez-vowse" (as we called it before school taught us how to pronounce exotic words) is sadly the last remaining of the truly notable buildings that stood along the Prom.
An unspoilt and spotless nostalgia-fest of frothy espresso, wafers by Tunnocks, and wobbly formica tables you could eat your dinner off!
A place to sit and soothe with a mug of milky tea and a Jacob's orange, admiring the original parquet flooring whilst rubbing the dried sand off your legs with a rolled-up sock.
© Chris Wilson 2009. Read more by visiting www.whitleybayinthe70s.com
A Rendezvous with Time by Sid Smith
If 1970s Whitley Bay reappeared in the mists like a sort of Brigadoon, this seafront temple of the snackular would look pretty much as it does today.
A wondrous place and just the same as ever it was, with its lovingly preserved decor and big arched windows looking out onto the panorama of sand and foam, the "Ren-dez-vowse" (as we called it before school taught us how to pronounce exotic words) is sadly the last remaining of the truly notable buildings that stood along the Prom.
An unspoilt and spotless nostalgia-fest of frothy espresso, wafers by Tunnocks, and wobbly formica tables you could eat your dinner off!
A place to sit and soothe with a mug of milky tea and a Jacob's orange, admiring the original parquet flooring whilst rubbing the dried sand off your legs with a rolled-up sock.
© Chris Wilson 2009. Read more by visiting www.whitleybayinthe70s.com
I was asked to write a few words about why I love the Rendezvous Café. With the greatest of pleasure I thought. After all, I’d been an occasional coastal visitor as a child in the early '60s; I'd brought my own children here when they were young; and it was the first place Debra and I thought of heading to after we got married one wet Saturday afternoon not so long ago.
However, I quickly found it's not as easy as it first appears. I mean, you can get a cup of your favourite brew at dozens of cafés in the area — and all very good they are too — but trying to figure out why the Rendezvous has that something "extra" is slightly harder to pin down.
Perhaps it's the location? After all, it's picture-postcard perfect especially in the summer. Even when wind and rain pay a visit, sitting snug with mug of what you fancy inside the Rendezvous makes even the most inhospitable weather worth braving.
Then there's the enticing art deco exterior, and the interior fittings which have all largely been in place since the current owners took over in the late 1950s. I always get that fleeting sense that whenever I step inside, I’m crossing a threshold where parts of the past and present converge in real time.
Thankfully, the owners have politely resisted all the unsolicited advice from well-meaning admirers about what they should sell, and all kinds of "improvements" that would undoubtedly increase turnover and maximize profit.
That they haven't modernised is really what makes the Rendezvous Café special. Retaining so many of the original features shows a quiet commitment to the place. The folks who run it are more like custodians, in it for the long haul, opening the doors whatever the weather, to serve the daytrippers and regulars alike.
Where others have moved with the times, and tried various so-called updates and gimmicks, the Rendezvous has proved to be a fad-free zone. What it comes down to is this: if it isn't broke, why fix it?
© Sid Smith 2009. This article first appeared in the Whitley Bay & Tynemouth Guide 2009. Sid Smith is a freelance writer living in Whitley Bay and contributing music-related articles to national and regional press as well as making occasional appearances on TV and radio. To keep up to date with Sid’s highly entertaining online blog, visit www.sidsmith.blogspot.com