Up by the Asda's, not far from the standing stones, you can no longer Hit The Hut. The shed that sold Italian inspired cheese & tomato topped circular bread hit the skids during The Covids: a plague on their huts. Some local excitement, though, when news filtered through that this would be replaced by a "Canadian coffee chain" to quote The Star.

When Tim Hortons -- wot no apostrophe -- eventually opened in late January 2022, them queues was crazy. Credit to Stowmarket lad Thomas Garrard who camped out overnight to claim his first place in the queue and a year's free coffee. But is it any good?

Andy was mighty keen to get in there ASAP, and its location seemed to work well for post Parkinson's ping-pong refreshments, but the curious consumers of the county were still lined up outside, both in cars and on foot. So Costa it was. Three weeks after opening and some of the novelty had worn off, and there we were at midday on a Saturday among the bright red bricks.

Six touchscreens for ordering, all in use, then one became free. We're already too late for breakfast but there are many many meal options including chicken burgers, toasted melts, grilled wraps, and, erm, all day breakfast. Andy thumbs the crispy chicken stack then backtracks to the bacon & egg muffin stack, a decision he'll regret. Mine's the big breakfast wrap meal with standard issue Tropicana and some rather good hash browns. While I'm scanning the "collect now" screen awaiting order 914, EcoAndy's searching for seats, of which there's plenty though nearly all are occupied. Savoury is fine, bit like a slightly upgraded McDonalds if you shut your eyes.

Thinking ahead, though, to this afternoon's table tennis session, we've also bought a box of 20 "timbits", essentially mini donuts crafted from the bits in the middle. My receipt spelled out those contents:

• 2 apple fritter timbit
• 2 apple pie timbit
• 2 chocolate glazed timbit
• 2 chocolate truffle timbit
• 2 honey cruller timbit
• 4 honey dip timbit
• 2 old fashioned glazed timbit
• 2 cinnamon biscuit timbit
• 2 white birthday cake timbit

Those sweet snacks got us through the bat 'n' ball then came home with me; we were still finishing them off a day later. Yum.

Having had lunch there, we returned with Eldest and my Mum, both of whom had joined us for TT, for them to sample some maple leaf moreness. I think my mum enjoyed her box of pancakes -- wot no plate! -- and I sampled one of Andy's grown up selection box of deluxe donuts. It's just as well we play a little sport between all the sugar.

If it was a car -- Meteor Niagara
If they were passing by -- Frank Yallop.