Jailhouse brews: Sohra’s 140-year-old police station reborn as heritage café

Sohra, June 4: A 140-year-old police station in Meghalaya’s Sohra has undergone a remarkable transformation into a trendy café, serving lip-smacking food to nearly 100 visitors at a time.

Established in 1885, the erstwhile Sohra police station is the oldest such facility in Meghalaya. Once a dreaded detention centre during British rule, the building has now been reimagined as “Sohra 1885”, a heritage café that blends history with hospitality.

The revamped space has become a popular hotspot for both food lovers and tourists. A particularly unique feature of the café is its use of the former lockups—now converted into dining areas—offering guests a chance to enjoy their meals in a setting steeped in colonial-era history.

Proceeds from the café are being directed towards police welfare initiatives. The credit for this innovative venture goes to the rank and file of the Meghalaya Police, who supported the idea when it was first proposed by East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem during his earlier posting as a DSP in the area.

“I always wanted to do something with the heritage police station. There aren’t many buildings left in the state that carry so much history,” Syiem said, adding that he always knew the site had the potential to attract visitors.

Following the government’s decision to construct a new police station building to house more personnel, the process of monetising the heritage site also began.

“Monetisation meant extra income for the force, especially for police welfare activities,” Syiem explained. About two years ago, a formal bidding process was initiated to select a partner to run the café.

A young entrepreneur, Nafi Nongrum, was eventually chosen. She proposed designs that complemented the historical character of the building and aptly named the café “Sohra 1885”.

Nongrum oversaw the complete refurbishment of the building, incorporating original British-era items from the old police station. “We’ve converted the lockups into a dining area. Visitors are loving the ambience,” she said.

SP Syiem praised the restoration, noting that the original walls and flooring have been preserved. “Even the fireplace has been brought back to its old glory. The floors were left untouched—they’re still in excellent condition,” he said.

Among the many restored items is a 200-kg safe, which Nongrum said was refurbished, repainted, and polished to match the vintage aesthetic.

Since its official inauguration on May 22, Sohra 1885 has quickly become a local favourite. “We really enjoyed our time in the lockup-turned-dining area,” said Batskhem Thabah, one of the café’s enthusiastic patrons.

PTI