A new mobile cafe on a popular railway walk is celebrating being awarded a five-star hygiene rating.
Julie Daly started Julie’s Plantation Pantry on the Himley Station car park on July 13, after proposing the idea to South Staffordshire Council in February.
Having previously managed Baggeridge Tea Room with her husband for 26 years, Julie shifted focus following their divorce when she sold her share in February.
After a brief stint working at the Red Lion pub in Wombourne, she decided to embark on her own venture.
The 57-year-old mother of three said: "I’ve always walked my dogs over here and I had an itch that I wanted to scratch and wanted to try something for myself and it has been lovely."
South Staffordshire Council sent a shout-out to Julie for the top hygiene rating.
A spokesperson said: "A big congratulations to Julie's Plantation Pantry, Himley station car park, South Staffordshire railway walk, who have recently achieved a food hygiene rating of 5! Very well done!"
Hundreds of thousands of pounds have recently been spent upgrading the paths to make them accessible for all.
Julie said: "I get dog walkers, runners, mums with prams, and now people in wheelchairs."
Her menu includes a selection of cakes, such as bread and butter pudding, flapjacks, carrot cake, lemon drizzle cakes, fudge cake, and Kelly’s ice cream. In winter she plans to serve toasties and handmade soups.
The van also serves bean-to-cup coffees, which Julie believes is key to customer retention.
She added: "I wanted to serve good coffee as I know it keeps people coming back."
Julie’s Plantation Pantry is just off Himley Lane and is situated next to Sandyacre Garden Centre.
The van operates seven days a week, from 9am to 3pm. Parking is free at Himley Station car park.
The closed railway station at Himley gives access with car parking to the South Staffs Railway Walk.
This runs for five and a half miles from Castlecroft in Wolverhampton at the northern end to Wall Heath in Dudley in the south, where it continues on to Pensnett. The northern end at Castlecroft extends through Valley Park.
The all-weather surface in some places makes it ideal for wheelchairs, pushchairs and family cycling.
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