A CAFE occupying the site of the former Spitfire factory canteen has been named as the town's best by Adver readers.

Throughout March the Adver invited readers to nominate their favourite coffee shop. Nominations closed on March 31 and all received have been counted and verified. 281 nominations were received, and the winner with 62 nominations is Spitfire Café in South Marston.

“We’re very proud, we already have the certificate up on the wall for customers to see,” said Sally Pearce, 61, manager of Spitfire Café. Sally joined the business 12 years ago and helps manage the café when owner Leslie Allcorn, 59, isn’t in.

“We have a lot of regulars, especially from the businesses around South Marston. We serve cooked breakfasts, sandwiches and cakes, and we also do catering for local businesses.

“Most people who come in just want a nice mug of English Breakfast tea to go with a cooked breakfast.”

The Adver received messages from readers complementing the café’s “brilliant staff”, and “top notch food”. Thomas McConnell said: “The food is good and at very reasonable prices. The staff are friendly and polite.” Hayley Hearn praised the staff, saying: “There’s always friendly service, good food and cake. I’d say it’s great value for money and the best café in Swindon.”

The café takes its name from the Spitfires that were built in a South Marston factory from 1941 to 1944, after the original Southampton factory was bombed in 1940. “Apparently this very building we are in was the canteen for the Supermarine Spitfire factory next door. Honda now use the old airstrip next door for their car test track,” said Sally. “We have a lot Spitfire memorabilia dotted around, posters and models on the wall. We have a huge model over a metre-long in the corner that customers love.

“We don’t really get tourists, but once a visitor comes in they realise what the café is all about, and they’re fascinated with the reason why we have the Spitfire theme.”

Opening hours for Spitfire Café are 7am until 2.30pm Monday to Thursday, and until 2pm on Fridays.

“We take hundreds of customers through the week. Thursday and Friday mornings are horrendously busy for us, we have a lot of people in before work.”

Spitfire Café will now be entered into the Adver's Swindon’s Finest competition in August, where they will be joined by the winners of the four remaining categories. Readers now have the chance to nominate their favourite Charity Shop. The nomination form will be published in every edition during April.