The return of Oundle’s repair cafe - when to go and where to find it

Launched in 2019 – but brought to a halt by the pandemic – the repair café will be held at Flettton House off Glapthorne Road, on April 2.

The idea is simple: people bring in their broken or damaged items and a team of skilled, voluntary repairers do their best to mend them.

The owner has the chance to watch and learn from the process whilst enjoying a cup of tea and maybe a slice of cake.

This concept is not new, of course, but is one that has been lost in modern consumer purchasing patterns. It has become ‘cheaper’ to simply buy a low value replacement rather than get something repaired .

Before it opens for business, ‘repairers’ – those with skills in repairing items as diverse as patching trousers, fixing old VHS recorders or cine cameras, or sharpening knives and scissors – are needed. Anyone interested should email [email protected].

A spokesperson said: “We haven’t been able to run one for the last two years, thanks to covid, but previous items brought in include: old VHS recorders needing cleaning; mantelpiece clocks needing power restored; bikes needing gears cleaning; dresses and jeans which were ripped; socks needing darning; vacuum cleaners needing fixing.

“Our aim is to have these items fixed, where possible, to educate users, and to pressurise manufacturers to make better items.”