A small seaside café in East Preston, West Sussex, has marked 70 years in business under the ownership of the same family, with its current operators preparing to keep it open throughout the winter for the first time.
Salt Café was purchased in 1957 by Imogen Steel’s grandfather, who also acquired caravan sites and a pub in the coastal area. The business originally operated from a modest white wooden kiosk, selling vanilla ice cream and reportedly sausages to visitors.
Although the café has experienced several changes over the decades, ownership has remained within the Steel family. Different relatives have managed it at various times, while it has also been leased to outside operators.
Imogen and her mother, Rachael, took over the business in January and are now overseeing its latest chapter.
Mother and Daughter Introduce Changes to the Seaside Venue
The café has undergone improvements under the pair’s management, including additional outdoor seating, new signage and a covered pergola.
Imogen said the latest changes were introduced to provide more space for customers and make the venue more welcoming.
The covered structure, built by Rachael’s husband, allows visitors to sit outside even when the weather is poor. Tables have also been added along the beach, while fairy lights and parasols form part of the updated setting.
Older photographs show the original café as a simple wooden hut without the seating and decorative features now found at the site.
The venue was renamed Salt by Rachael in 2015, and recent improvements have helped attract both returning customers and new visitors.
Menu Expands Beyond Ice Cream and Sausages
Salt Café’s food offering has grown considerably since its early years.
The original kiosk primarily sold ice cream, while historical planning documents also indicate that sausages may have been prepared there.
Today, the café serves a broader breakfast and lunch menu, including homemade soup, toasties and smaller dishes such as cheesy chips and Scotch eggs.
Its summer menu featured fish and chips and burgers, both of which proved popular with customers. The business has since moved to its winter menu as it prepares to remain open throughout the colder months.
Rachael said the family was proud of the food being served, highlighting its fresh ingredients and suppliers.
Imogen also credited the café’s chef and expanded menu with helping increase customer numbers.
Café Prepares to Stay Open Throughout Winter
The decision to operate throughout winter represents a first for Salt Café in its 70-year history.
Rachael said the new covered seating area was designed to encourage customers to visit even during unpleasant weather, whether for a meal or a coffee with their dogs.
The family has also focused on making the venue comfortable and inviting outside the traditional summer tourism season.
The café has received support from the local community over the years, with Rachael saying residents had consistently backed the business.
She added that the latest improvements and food offering had contributed to a particularly busy period, with local customers responding positively to the changes.
Longstanding Customers and Staff Keep Returning
Salt Café has built up a loyal customer base, including visitors who remember coming to the venue around 20 years ago.
Some customers have continued returning over the years, while members of staff have also remained connected to the business for extended periods.
Rachael said certain employees had first worked at the café on Saturdays while they were still at school and had continued their association with the family business.
The café’s location directly beside the sea has also allowed the family to observe changes in tourism and visitor habits in East Preston.
East Preston Attracts More Holidaymakers and New Residents
Although East Preston has traditionally been considered a relatively quiet and little-known part of the West Sussex coastline, Imogen and Rachael said visitor numbers had increased.
They pointed to the growing availability of holiday accommodation, including rental properties and homes along the beachfront.
During the summer, the family noticed that some customers returned several times over the same weekend, suggesting they were staying locally.
Rachael also said some visitors had become so attached to the area during their holidays that they eventually decided to move there permanently.
She described East Preston as an attractive place to live, saying people often found it difficult to leave after discovering the coastal community.
Steel Family Rules Out Selling the Café
Despite being approached by people interested in buying Salt Café, Rachael said the family had no intention of selling.
Asked whether the business could ever leave the Steel family, she responded: “Definitely not.”
The family is instead preparing to continue its seven-decade connection with the coastline while developing the café into a year-round destination.
