Generous customers restored my faith after theft

“You can’t claim that on your insurance.

“A lot of customers were disgusted when they heard what had happened, saying ‘the thieving soand-sos’.

“It was lovely to see Edna and David come forward and say ‘here is some money to help replace what was stolen’.

“They have been coming in here for years.

“Edna was devastated when she heard about the burglary – I think she was even more devastated by it than I was!

“She and her son just wanted to do something to help.”

The Cleveland Café is something of a landmark in Southport.

While Paul and Jeanne have been behind the counter for the past 17 years, Paul says that research shows that there were “refreshment rooms” on the site as far back as 1902 – and perhaps even earlier.

Paul said: “People come from far and wide to see us.

“We are really busy at the moment, with The Open golf championship coming to Southport at Royal Birkdale.

“We have had lots of workers in, who have been working on setting up everything for the tournament.

“Now we are starting to get the American golf fans in.

“There will be others coming. The BBC crews are staying at the Travelodge Hotel near to us, so we should see a few of them in here. “It’s going to be a very busy week!” A spokesman for Merseyside police said” “Officers were called to Cleveland Café on Lord Street in Southport at 6.55am on Wednesday, 14 December, following reports that unknown offenders had forced entry to the property between 6.45pm on Tuesday 13 December and Wednesday, 14 December. The offenders have made a search of the property before escaping with an unknown quantity of cash from charity boxes in the café. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Merseyside police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.”