The Bird's Nest Buffet is loved by so many who visit the Swanage Railway. It had a friendly, happy and positive atmosphere. All the staff welcomed everyone who came through the door. The Buffet team welcomed many new volunteers from the town, including people who had learning difficulties. This gave many people in the town opportunities they may not have gotten else where and encouraged them to have confidence in themselves and their abilities. This includes myself, who has struggled with anxiety and a lack of self confidence. When I started at the Bird's Nest I was very shy and barely talked to anyone, but with encouragement, patience, understanding and support of the Bird's Nest team I became more confident and gained skills to use within my voluntary job and throughout life.  They were so impressed with my growth that they offered me a paid job. 

The Bird's Nest Buffet provided a clean, safe and happy environment for everyone in the town and anyone visiting the town to enjoy a mug of tea and watching the steam locomotives go passed the window. 

The staff loved their job including myself. The manager Chris spent 18 years of his life there and was loyal to the Railway but when COVID hit, he was cruelly made redundant after doing everything he could to help the railway survive. Chris has always gone above and beyond for the railway even on his day off he would come into work to do things to help the railway. The other staff members were exactly the same, we all welcomed anyone and everyone and working at the Bird's Nest Buffet was the best and most fun you could have at work. The Bird's Nest Buffet team were a family and we all cared about each other and we cared about the railway. We all helped each other and we always worked as a team. 

In 2012 the railway built a platform especially for the Bird's Nest Buffet at the South end of Swanage Station site, with its own garden and entry point. They even a few years later built a permanent structure for cover for the outside seating area. This current location allows the Bird's Nest to be seen from the town, attracting customers to the Buffet and the railway. The Bird's Nest Buffet also had use of the top garden with a gate in Gilbert Road. This gate was hugely important because it attracted many people in from coach trips and even attracted families sit in the top garden and enjoy the views of the steam locomotives. 

Now the Railway want to move the Bird's Nest Buffet up to Corfe Castle where she will become a Kiosk with no seating and simply serve hot drinks and pre packaged food. Meaning that it will lose all its personality. The railway have said that the priority is the Wessex Belle dining train and the Bird's Nest Buffet is now a second thought. 

This petition is to save the Bird's Nest and keep her in Swanage where she currently is and use her as a cafe like she used to be and reinstate the staff on their old contracts. If we lose, we will lose a piece of Swanage Railway history and somewhere we can all sit and relax and enjoy the trains in the garden with a mug of tea. The Bird's Nest deserves love and she deserves better. 

I don't mean any harm to the Railway, I want them to be as successful as possible.   I just want to save the Bird's Nest Buffet as she has been so important to me. The railway has been supportive over the years and I will always be grateful to them.