On one of the finest viewpoints in Britain, where cruise ships, Royal Navy vessels and fishing boats pass through the waters of Plymouth Sound, sits a small café with a remarkable story.
The Liner Lookout Café may be modest in size, but over the past decade it has become a familiar landmark for walkers, tourists, families and regulars enjoying one of the city’s most spectacular views.
Run by husband and wife team Dave and Anne Morrish, the café occupies a historic lookout building on Plymouth Hoe. Built in 1870, the lookout was constructed specifically to watch for ocean liners and mail ships arriving in Plymouth Sound from across the Atlantic. A watcher stationed inside, armed with a telescope, would spot an approaching vessel and send word down to Millbay Docks or the Barbican, prompting boats to be sent out to collect passengers and mail before the ship came in.
As radio communication advanced and the need for a manned lookout faded, the building found a new purpose. At some point it was taken over by the police and served as a police box for the bobby on the beat, a role it continued to fill until the 1970s. Like many small police posts of the era, it offered a visible, reassuring presence in one of the city’s busiest public spaces.
By the early 2010s, however, the old lookout building had become run down after years of limited use. Despite occupying one of Plymouth’s best known locations, it had lost much of its former character and was in need of fresh investment.
That changed when Dave and Anne Morrish took on the site and set about giving it a new lease of life. Rather than simply opening a takeaway kiosk, they transformed the historic building into a welcoming café where visitors could enjoy refreshments while taking in the panoramic views across Plymouth Sound.
Since opening, the café has steadily built a loyal following. Alongside hot drinks, light meals and snacks, outdoor seating has helped create a relaxed atmosphere where people can sit and watch everything from warships and sailing boats to ferries and cruise ships making their way through the Sound.
The couple have also become known for their commitment to the local community, helping make the café more than just somewhere to stop for a coffee. Over the years it has become a meeting place for walkers, families, tourists and local residents alike.
Today, the Liner Lookout Café is one of those places that many Plymouth people recommend to visitors. It combines one of the city’s finest views with a warm welcome and has helped preserve a historic building that might otherwise have continued to deteriorate.
While Plymouth Hoe is famous for its centuries of maritime history, the Liner Lookout Café has created a modern story of its own. What was once a 19th-century lookout, and later a police box, has become a thriving local business, giving new purpose to a familiar landmark while offering people the chance to slow down, enjoy the scenery and watch life unfold on the water.
Have you visited the Liner Lookout Café? What are your favourite memories of this little landmark on the Hoe?
Photographs and Video © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post