EVERY town in East Lancashire, it seems. has a café or eating establishment which appears to have been around forever.

The Apricot Meringue in Clitheroe, is one such - certainly it’s been in the same location for as long as I can remember.

Let’s face it, the name is a bit twee and that theme continues inside somewhat. With its wrought iron furniture, seat cushions and patterned wallpaper it has the air of a Victorian conservatory.

But the Apricot Meringue has never been too concerned with current trends. And as the constant flow of families, walkers and regulars on a very damp Saturday afternoon proved, it’s still got that pulling power.

Part of its appeal stems from the wide range of home made cakes and pastries on display in a large, glass-fronted counter. But we were there for lunch so it was a chance to delve into the full menu.

It offers something for all appetites ranging from jacket potatoes with an array of fillings available to main meals.

The choice isn’t massive and it’s all homely stuff. A variety of pies certainly seems to dominate but if you’re looking for fine dining then look elsewhere.

I opted for the intriguing seafood gratin (£10.45) while the less adventurous better half went for a jacket potato with cheese (£7.15).

The staff were very friendly and a nice touch was the arrival of a jug of iced water at our table without being asked for.

The seafood gratin arrived piping hot. There was a decent helping of creamy mash and a large dish of garden peas with the seafood itself served in its own earthenware dish.

It was basically a sloppy fish pie with a cheesy crust which might not sound the most complementary thing to say, but my words, it was tasty. There were large pieces of salmon, haddock and prawns in a creamy sauce - I was just glad I’d gone for mash rather than the alternative of chips and I needed something to mop it all up with.

For her jacket spud, the better half had been asked in advance if she’d prefer the cheese melted or just ‘raw’ which is something more cafes should adopt. She received a decent-sized, well-cooked potato with a veritable mound of grated cheese on top.

Two clean plates certainly showed how much we enjoyed both our main meals.

But after a little break, we both felt we had room for a pudding - all in the name of research you understand.

It being more like November than June, the temptation of jam sponge and custard (£5.20) proved too hard for me to resist. The less greedy one between us decided to go for a house special - a strawberry meringue (£3.95).

The jam sponge was just that - real sponge cake smothered in raspberry jam and swimming in some nice thick custard. Just the job for a miserable, cold afternoon.

The meringue dish was a minor work of art. Two meringue nests, chopped strawberries, ice cream and mounds of whipped cream. You can see where the café gets its name from.

Walking past the Apricot Meringue you could be forgiven for just glancing inside, seeing that strange furniture and continuing on your way. But you’d be missing out on some genuinely homely treats.

You can’t have survived for as long as the Apricot Meringue has without knowing what you are doing.