New cycleway cafe to open this month

Cyclists and walkers along the Old Rail Trail will have an additional reason take a break in Streamstown, with the longawaited opening of a new cafe later this month.

Jack’s Stop, located in the restored old rail station in Streamstown, will welcome customers for the first time on Friday, March 31 next at 8.30am.

Located halfway between Athlone and Mullingar, the cafe is expected to be a popular stop off point for users of the greenway, with a playground adjacent to the building, bike parking and indoor/outdoor seating alongside the historic premises.

In February, Westmeath County Council agreed to licence the coffee shop and toilets on the Old Rail Trail greenway in Streamstown to a local woman for five years.

The councillors agreed the granting of the five-year licence to Jacqueline Muldoon from Tubber at their monthly meeting.

The concept of a coffee shop derived from the refurbishment of the old rail station at Streamstown and the former toilet block in recent years.

The council early in 2022 then sought expressions of interest from companies or individuals looking to operate a coffee shop at the building.

It had been anticipated it would be open to the public by last summer, but it later transpired the preferred operator had withdrawn.

The council readvertised the opportunity in November last and later approved the proposal to offer the five-year licence to Ms Muldoon.