refreshment room

English

Noun

refreshment room (plural refreshment rooms)

1. (UK) A room that was once common at larger railway stations in Britain and the British Commonwealth for the purpose of serving food and drink to travellers.
   • 1941 August, C.Hamilton Ellis, “The English Station”, in Railway Magazine, page 356:

     But when his slender, big-wheeled engine had brought him as far as York, in a non-corridor compartment, his inside had begun to make urgent representations. So, to this day, the York refreshment room is extraordinary; the dining room is a regular banqueting hall.

   • 1961 March, ""Balmore"", “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 147:

     While we were waiting, Eugène suggested a drink in the refreshment room; I assumed this would be more wine, but Eugène marched in and demanded two Cognacs.

   • 2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, The Metropolitan Railway, pages 38–39:

     There were no waiting rooms. [...] But there were licensed refreshment rooms, provided by those pioneers of station dining Messrs Spiers and Pond.

   • 2022 November 2, Paul Bigland, “New trains, old trains, and splendid scenery”, in RAIL, number 969, page 58:

     Calling at Stalybridge, I cast one eye at the refreshment rooms and one eye at my watch, but 'beer o'clock' it isn't! Besides, I have a long way to travel!

References

• “refreshment room”, in Collins English Dictionary.