About Us:
Dean Forest Railway is a volunteer-led heritage railway situated in the picturesque Forest of Dean. We operate Whistles Café at our Norchard Station, providing delicious food and refreshments to our visitors. We are now looking for a friendly and reliable Café Assistant (Front of House) to join our team, ensuring our café runs smoothly and providing excellent service to our customers.
Job Description:
As a Café Assistant (Front of House), you’ll be the welcoming face of Whistles Café. Your duties will include serving customers, preparing drinks and snacks, taking food orders, and working with the kitchen to ensure stock and orders are managed effectively. You’ll keep the café and surrounding areas clean and tidy, handle money at the till, and provide excellent customer service throughout.
This is a physically demanding role where you will be on your feet for most of the day, often during busy service periods. It requires good stamina, reliability, and a willingness to get stuck in with both customer-facing duties and cleaning tasks. You will also assist with events such as evening functions and railway experiences.
Key Responsibilities:
· Serving customers, preparing hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches, and snacks.
· Taking and processing orders, liaising with the kitchen to ensure availability.
· Operating the till, handling cash and card payments accurately.
· Keeping the café, FOH area, and equipment (including the coffee machine) clean and well-maintained.
· Emptying bins, mopping floors, and maintaining hygiene standards in line with food safety regulations.
· Replenishing fridges, displays, and stock levels as required.
· Assisting with pre-ordered items such as cream teas and afternoon teas.
· Supporting and working alongside volunteers in the café.
· Helping at special events such as murder mystery evenings and private functions.
· Keeping the outside café area tidy, including emptying outside bins when necessary.
Skills & Experience:
· Experience working in a café, hospitality, or customer service role (preferred).
· Good communication and customer service skills.
· Friendly, approachable, and able to work well as part of a team.
· Organised, reliable, and able to work efficiently during busy times.
· Fit and physically able to be on your feet all day and carry out cleaning duties.
· Basic knowledge of food hygiene and safety standards (Level 2 Food Hygiene desirable, but training can be provided).
Job Details:
· Hours: 24 hours per week, typically Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays (8.30am – 4.30pm), plus occasional evenings and additional days for events.
· Annualised Hours: You will work a minimum of 130 days per year (mainly March to early November, plus December for Christmas service). All annual leave must be taken during the café’s closed season (primarily January, February, and the final two weeks of November).
· Pay: £12.50 per hour – annualised and paid in equal monthly instalments.
· Bank Holidays: You will be required to work all Bank Holidays and Tuesdays during the Summer holidays.
· Overtime: Paid at the standard hourly rate.
· Leave: Statutory annual leave entitlement (to be taken in the closed season as above).
· Pension: Company pension scheme.
What We Offer:
· A friendly and supportive work environment in a historic setting
· The opportunity to be part of a unique visitor experience
· Staff discounts and access to special events
· Annual Pay review
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to ensuring they outline their demonstrable relevant experience and why they would be a great fit for this role.
Candidates who do not complete the application form in full will not be considered.
Please send your application via email to Peggy Römer, General Manager, at [email protected].
Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the application deadline, please consider your application unsuccessful.
Dean Forest Railway is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: £12.50 per hour
Expected hours: No less than 24 per week
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person