It is fair to say the café scene has changed a lot over the years.

Indeed, the word café itself has been replaced in many cases by ‘coffee shop’ and the homely looking staff in an apron has been replaced by hipster baristas.

While there are still many great independent cafes and coffee shops, there has been an influx over the past 20 years or so of chains, such as Costa and Starbucks.

I love spending time in cafes or coffee shops after a walk to sit and read my book for an hour or two.

I also have to own up to being a fan of Starbucks but I do pop in to many independent places when I can.

It got me thinking though, of my own childhood memories of the café culture in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s.

Some of my memories are a little sketchy if I’m honest so I spoke to my parents about what they remember.

I have chosen a few that stick in the mind of me and my folks.

These days there are more cafes and coffee shops in the city and town centres but my memory is of places out in the middle of nowhere or just in an unassuming row of private homes.

For me, one of the places I remember best is what we called the Red Cafe near Glen Helen but was possibly called the Glen Moar Tearooms. It is now the Black Dub TT viewing platform with plans for a restaurant, café and bar.

The Mylchraine family owned the cafe and the Dale sisters, who were from a farming family, used to work there.

It was countrified and a wholesome place. There was a piano inside the cafe but it was rarely played.

I remember the premises were split level with the kitchen on the lower floor with whitewashed walls and table cloths.

The café ran for a long time. They mainly did scones and cakes and afternoon tea.

Back in those days my parents judged a café mainly on the quality of the scones, now it is more about the quality of the coffee for them.

We only went on Sundays usually so I can’t really say what the place was like the rest of the week.

There was a stream (millrace) at the back with green weeds and I used to throw stones to frighten the small brown trout lurking there. The toilets were also outside by the water wheel.

Another café I have some memories of was at Dalby. I cannot remember the name of it but it was in a normal home on the main road.

I particularly remember this place because of the fish tank filled with piranhas.

It was run by a couple and was just in the front room for the property. It was like just entering someone’s home for a cuppa.

It was there in the late 80s early 90s and they did afternoon tea with nice cakes and scones.

We went there the day after my sister’s wedding in the early 90s for afternoon tea. There quite a few family members. We were crammed in as it wasn’t very big!

Before the current cafe there was the old place further down which was little more than a shack but rather charming all the same.

This survived well into the 90s but it was not a resilient building. Condensation poured down the windows and you could never see out.

It was decorated with shells and nets in a maritime theme. It was very popular in its day despite being rustic.

The café there now remains very popular but the grand and modern structure is a world away from the old place.

I have vague memories of the cafe at Fleshwick which was run by a young couple in the early 80s

It had an open fire and was very cosy in winter but it really came into its own in summer with a nice garden area which I remember playing in.

Sadly, it only lasted a couple of years even though it was very popular despite being quite isolated.

The beach is one of the most picturesque bays in the island and I can’t help thinking how successful a café there could still be – certainly in the summer.

Now, all that is left is the ramshackle shell which still has a landscape mural inside. Long before mu time there was even a café right down on the beach.

Another place which felt like you were entering someone’s home was at Ballaugh. It was an old farm cottage on Ballaugh Glen road, which heads up to the plantation, with the just opened up the front room and was run by the Wades.

Again, it was basically a front room and was family run. It was a cottage tea room and was very cosy.

I remember on one occasion, my great aunt ordered afternoon tea for everybody but really we could have shared a couple between us as the food served seemed never ending.

There used to be a café at Glen Maye which I don’t remember myself so well but mum and dad say we often went to.

This was based opposite the Waterfall cafe but sadly it burnt down some time in the early 90s.

It was a wooden building and comfortable inside. My mum and dad gravitated there due to the lovely scones. There is a theme here.

They also did meals and it was a proper café. It very popular with people heading there after a walk down the glen and to the beach.

I also asked on the Manx Nostalgia Facebook page for photos but sadly there are not too many. But people shared their own memories of the places they remember.

Of course, these are just my memories and many other cafes will hold a special place in the hearts of others.