Compro stood outside the cafe, leaning against a wall.
Foggy and Clegg walked towards the door.
“You go in there at your peril,” Compo said, with a knowing nod.
“Sid and Ivy are at each other’s throats again. I fear for his safety, and ours, if we go in there.”
Clegg looked startled.
“I’m gasping for my mid-morning tea and one of Ivy’s toasted tea cakes,” he said.
“I’m not sure I can last until dinner time.”
Foggy huffed.
“We’ve seen it a hundred times before. It’s hardly news is it? Anyway, are we men or mice?”
“Eek!” said Clegg.
Foggy pushed the cafe door open with purpose and strode in. Compo and Clegg followed behind.
As they sat at a table, they heard a crash from behind the counter.
A dishevelled Sid appeared from the back and asked: “What’s it to be, gents?”
Foggy replied: “Tea and tea cakes all round. You ducking for cover, Sid?”
Sid laughed.
“Something like that. One of our freezers was somehow left open all night and all the food’s spoiled. It’ll cost us hundreds. I had the temerity to mention that Ivy’s nephew Crusher was the last one in here last night…”
“Ah,” Clegg said. “Never defame a woman’s family, Sid. They’re sensitive creatures.”
Sid snorted.
“Sensitive! She wasn’t blinking sensitive when she threw a teapot at me!”
Compo giggled.
“Is that all she’s worrying about? Could it be something more?”
Sid shrugged.
“Like what? We’re up to date with our food safety training and certifications, and we’ve got a brand new system that cuts down on the amount of paperwork we have to store. What more could a woman want?”
Compo and Clegg snorted.
Foggy asked: “What sort of system?”
Compo said: “Oh Lord, don’t tell him. He’ll be obsessing about that all day…Loves a system, him.”
Sid smiled.
“Mango, an online compliance system that stores all your documents in the cloud. It was suggested by our health and safety consultants, Penarth Management. I can access everything I need wherever there’s an internet connection.”
Foggy’s eyes lit up.
“Electronics and engineering. Two of my favourite subjects. Why don’t I come back there and you can show me how it works?”
Compo laughed: “Oh yes, Ivy will love that!”
Compo and Clegg slid out of their seats.
“We’re off to Nora Batty’s to see if she and Wally will spare us a cuppa and a tea cake,” Compo said.
“Good luck!”
Foggy tipped the rim of his hat.
“Think you two will need the luck more than me!” he replied.
Find out how Mango’s online compliance software benefits your food business. Book a free demonstration which will be delivered via Zoom. We can help you achieve the ISOs you need, too. Call Penarth Management on 029 2070 3328 or email info@penarth.co.uk