On a rather dank and dreary day I motored up to Asda in Burgh Heath to get some provisions in. It's not my normal supermarket but I was in the area so it was quite convenient on this occasion.

After the chores, and leaving the motor at the far end for a hand-wash, I was feeling quite hungry and enquired of a gentleman "guide" at the entrance if there was a coffee shop in the supermarket.

With great alacrity this chap, in his Asda livery, apologised that there wasn't an in-store cafe but pointed to the parade of shops in Tattenham Way.

"You'll have to be quick, as they close at 2.30 so you've got a quarter of an hour," he said, adding that I was welcome to leave my car in the car park.

I was impressed with his helpfulness and marched towards the shopping parade.

Sadly, the Derby Diner had just closed. I peered through the windows and saw all the chairs standing on top of the tables.

Deciding against popping into the newsagent's – which had a boarded up window but was open – I paced back to Asda and then took a stroll through the muddy woodland to the Burgh Heath parade across the road from the Shell Garage.

I recalled that it was at this garage in September 1976, a night cashier at the petrol station was beaten to death by raiders.

I gazed up at the prices: £1.11 a litre. It seems the figure is rising each week.

At the far end of the parade is The Coffee Shop, run by St Mary's Church, Burgh Heath. I had last been here on a mild February day two years ago with a friend who was despairing over his computer breakdown and the inability of his internet provider to deal with the problem.

Happily, the lights were on and a lady was sitting at a table doing some paper work.

I stepped in, smiled and said I was pleased the cafe was open.

I sat down at one of the five or so tables surrounded by basket and chrome chairs and perused the menu.

The cafe offers a range of light lunches, snacks and elevenses.

I requested a bowl of prawn and crab soup and a hot melted cheese and red onion pannini.

"I'm afraid we stop doing hot food at 2.15," said the lady with the autumnal-coloured roll-neck jumper.

"What is it you'd like?"

I repeated the order and she said, "Well, I think we could do the pannini. That's quite straightforward."

I was grateful, sat down and read the complimentary copy of The Times as music composed by Verdi played on Classic FM.

After this soothing piece had finished a request was read out on air for a listener in Devon, who was busy making homemade marmalade and wanted to hear a certain classic.

Opposite the shop, in Jewson's yard, a member of staff was operating a fork-lift truck.

Hundreds of cars, lorries and vans passed by on the hectic A217.

At least the drivers no longer had to contend with the major roadworks caused by a huge cavity forming under the tarmac a couple of years back.

The walls were adorned with pictures of country scenes and a table was laid out with second-hand books that customers could purchase.

The baking hot pannini arrived and was oozing with cheese.

I thanked the waitress. It was another cold winter's afternoon and a hot snack was the order of the day, I felt.

I also bought a mug of creamy hot chocolate and a pre-wrapped Bakewell tart.

A leaflet gave details of the coffee shop. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 3pm and as well as light snacks and lunches, sells Fairtrade gifts and greetings cards.

A storytime session for youngsters takes place every Tuesday at 2pm and a book club meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

Information about St Mary's Church is also available.

A leaflet states: "Thank you for visiting St Mary's and for picking up our Welcome Pack. If you haven't already done so, we hope you will fill in the card enclosed and return it to us at the Parish Office, so that we can make our welcome to you a little more personal than this letter and the contents of this pack! In particular, we would like to invite you to our Welcome Evening, which we will do as soon as we have received your completed Welcome Card. These evenings are held once a year and we will advise the venue nearer the time."

After eating the last crumbs of the Bakewell, it was time to wander back to the car wash area of the Asda car park.

I picked my way along the littered path through the copse on the common and emerged at the lorry delivery area of the supermarket.

Round the corner, beyond some piles of unmelted snow still remaining from the wintry weather earlier in January, I found my car and that a cheerful Czech man had done a wonderful job of cleaning and polishing the metalwork.

I thanked him profusely and joined the traffic on the A217 for the homeward journey.

Mark Davison