Booth's Cafe The Studios Media City Salford

28 Dec. We tried The Trafford Centre, couldn’t find a parking space. The Lowry Centre, ditto. We drove past Booth’s and heard they had a cafe. After paying the £1.00 parking fee (for half an hour) we had a browse in Booth’s but couldn’t find the cafe. On our way out, after abandoning the eggs we were buying in order to get the £1.00 car park fee back (we were required to spend twenty quid to get the pound back), the lad on the till told us the cafe was in The Studios and he offered to take us there personally. We only had about 20 minutes left on the car park so I ran to get another ticket leaving the poor shop assistant waiting in the doorway for us. Once we returned,  he led us down the side of two buildings. On the way he was making small talk, did we have a good Christmas? I said, "yes" and immediately began questioning him. He told me he had been working on boxing day, he said he recognised Danny from somewhere. Danny laughed and said he wasn’t famous. Danny said to him that there seemed more staff than customers in Booths. The lad said it was because they didn’t know what it was going to be like, round here, at Christmas, but that they didn’t know half the BBC would have gone home. We approached The Studios, through the “audience” entrance. I could see where the cafe was from here and felt we no longer needed our escort. He walked us to the counter. He was outstaying his welcome, in my view. He lingered. I wanted him to go away. He then introduced us to “the lovely Tony”. She was the woman behind the counter. Finally, after wishing us a Happy New Year did he bugger off. Tony served us a large latte and a large Americano; I asked for cold milk on the side. Tony told me it was over there, and pointed towards a table. Danny paid with a £50.00 note. She said she didn’t think they took them. As she was giving Danny the change (from the fifty); I presented Tony with the empty milk jug and she refilled it. The coffees were very nice. I fancied a cheese butty but they only had cray fish with dill mayonnaise and dolphin friendly tuna so I got a bag of cheese and onion crisps instead. I paid a pound. I noticed Tony had an American accent. She was saying “hi” to everyone who approached the counter. I asked Danny why there was a push bike in the middle of the cafe. He said it was something to do with the origins of Booths; Granville from Open All hours was mentioned. I could hear a dalek. We found out what it was on the way out

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