A CENTURY and a half after Victorian railroads brought prosperity to towns around the country, business owners in Ongar and North Weald are witnessing a 21st century railway boom of their own.

Pubs, cafes and tourist attractions in both communities are reporting a ‘considerable’ upturn in weekend trade since the Epping to Ongar railway reopened in May – despite experiencing one of the wettest summers on record.

The Cock Tavern in Ongar High Street is the first pub passengers encounter en route from the station to the town centre.

Landlord Ian Goodman, 63, said: “It’s made a considerable difference at the weekends. We have had some Saturday lunchtimes where it’s been difficult for people to get a seat.”

Fifty-year-old Graham Hemming, who has been landlord of The Two Brewers in Greensted Road for 17 years, confirmed trade had picked up.

“The weekend trade has certainly improved – especially as the heritage bus stops outside, because we’re very prominent. They all stop for a drink and bar food,” he said.

Martyn Dickson, 31-year-old manager of The King’s Head in the High Road, North Weald, said the village – which is the mid-point of the railway route – had also seen a boost.

He said: “We have certainly seen some new faces coming in from the railway.”

Chairman of North Weald Airfield Museum Peter Gardner, 72, said the trains had helped bring a new type of visitor through its doors.

“People usually come here to see us because they are interested in the museum or in family members’ stories,” said Mr Gardner, 72.

“But certainly we have had people who are off the railway and say ‘we heard there was a museum here, so we thought we’d take a look’. So it’s been beneficial for us.”

But shopkeepers in Ongar say they have yet to reap the benefits of the new tourist draw.

Sharon Hill, owner of Koko Kouture Interiors in the High Street, said railway passengers were passing the town’s shops by.

She said: “It would be good if we could work more closely with the railway and put things into place whereby people are actively encouraged to go into the high street and know what’s here.”

John Allington, who runs gift shop The Green Room, added: “I’m pleased that the railway’s doing well and if there’s a retail benefit from it that’s a bonus. But the boom in Ongar is not in retail – I imagine it’s more in food and leisure.”

Railway general manager Simon Hanney said plans for information displays and old-fashioned advertising at Ongar station were in the pipeline.

He added: “As the railway grows in terms of letting people know we’re here, we hope to keep building the benefits to businesses in the area.”

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