IS IT A BIRD, A COLOUR, OR ANOTHER TEAL MEMBER?

I was visiting an old school friend and his wife in Tonbridge recently, for the first time since Covid. Having travelled up from the Isle of Wight that morning. l’d left the M25 and was on the A21, having just continued past the turning off for Sevenoaks. Not long after this, there is a slip road for Hildenborough, which is very easy to miss (and l nearly did!) despite using this route many times before.

Now, in not more than a quarter of a mile, on the other side of the road, there used to be an old transport cafe. Imagine my astonishment, when being confronted with a totally refurbished building, bearing the proud name of ‘Teal Cafe’! Naturally, my response was a hand brake turn (no, not really!) but a swift turnaround to take a few photos (for ‘Teal Spiel’, of course!).

I did not venture in to discover the basis of the proud

name, as l was intent on greeting my friends. Surely it wouldn’t be in honour of our beloved cars, maybe a colour in a paint chart, or a certain breed of duck! The latter seems even more unlikely, as there is no watering facility for

these pretty creatures, nearby.

So, there we are, a surprise, an enlightenment and a puzzle. The final part of which, was a return visit days later, with my friend (a Morgan man), only to find that it was closed for the day! Best regards, Peter Haywood