Coffee Republic goes into administration

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

Ideal .... then an email went out that staff weren't allowed to bring in flasks due to H&S. Somebody had seen me supping my coffee!!

Unbelievable. How can a flask of coffee cause a Health and Safety issue? It would be even more ironic if the office block was built in the 1970s or earlier and contained asbestos. People aren't routinely told about that yet they can't bring a flask to work. Madness.

There was some coverage on the news this week about early tests showing that coffee can protect against Alzheimers. I'd love to see that as true as a couple of members of my family have succumbed to that awful illness. It could potentially lead to even greater use of coffee bars, which is ironic given the failure of Coffee Republic. Hopefully you'd also be able to argue that you have a good H&S reason for bringing your own coffee in a flask.

baileysbattlebus

Pobby wrote: »

So how much is a cup of coffee in those places?

Costa Coffee yesterday afternoon in Woodley - small latte - £2.00 - they were busy too.

There were two of us and I paid. When we sat down, I thought to myself, I could have almost done a Jamie Oliver "feed your family for fiver" for the cost of 2 small coffees.

fc123

If Cleaver comes back tonight (but he may have lost the will) , we could hijack this thread and turn it into a comp...most frugal and most extravagant thingy one spends on. I was hoping he would start a new thread.( recession on topic i guess) ...I was ready to confess all......

lostinrates

fc123 wrote: »

If Cleaver comes back tonight (but he may have lost the will) , we could hijack this thread and turn it into a comp...most frugal and most extravagant thingy one spends on. I was hoping he would start a new thread.( recession on topic i guess) ...I was ready to confess all......

Since spending time on MSE I'm all adrift about what is frugal and what isn't. e.g. DH and I barely use heating at all (aided by in the main hving lived in flats so we know pipes won't freeze, nd we use the hot water twice a day). Our heating bills are teeny tiny. On the other hand, PN would think we were very extravagant (I made no reply to a comment she made about champagne recently ). I wouldn't choose to spend a little every day, or week on coffee and a donut, but then I'd not eat at McDs or similar either: when we go out we ''go out'' IYswIM. I think infrequency makes the costs similar to if we were regular cheaper eater-outers.

Frugality is, I'm beginning to think, a matter of perspective as much as actual spend (not unlike mortgage payments ;))

nearlynew

Here is the daily mash's take on all of this........

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/reduced-choice-for-tosspots-200907081888/

spot on, as usual.

carolt

fc123 wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl: It's something I do notice on here.

I do Flasks of coffee but purely as a personal protest to Corp coffee shops, I make sandwiches and wrap them in foil, but only because I travel to places that don't have a Pret handy (I know they are part owned by Mac'D's) ..it can be different further North I know.:o

When I go into London every week, I confess, I slip down to an indie place in Soho for a macrobiotic salad plate...and a chat...he's been there 30 years. I used to eat there as a student.

Beyond that, I cannot possible confess........too embarrassing.

What's the name of your macrobiotic place in Soho?

I was in one a couple of weeks back - had the most amazing organic vegi food - on Berwick St, I think. Is that the one?

Never drink coffee or tea personally - been caffeine free for many years now.

Saves money on coffees; drink lots of water, though....

Shocked to hear Pret's owned by Mc D's - I must confess I really like their salads/sandwiches. They're a bit of a guilty treat.

fc123

It's Franks just off Carnaby..been there for 40 yrs I think..struggling with high rent etc too and Shaftesburys now own all of the local area...they have racked everything up.
I tend not to look backwards, so, change I accept. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.
My old college friend had a shop just by him for many years 'Yesterdays Bread', really popular, characterful...she couldn't/ didn't survive the onslaught of the chains and the new LL pushing rents up skyhigh. Closed a few years back...chain/psuedo brand went in and now it's empty.

I met those LL some years back..they had a vision for sure..just wasn't one I agreed with.

Berwick St is one of my favourite streets in London....has changed the least over 30 years.

carolt

Thanks, I'll try your tip next time I'm in Soho.

Agree with you about how sad it is places losing their character to identikit high steet shops.

If there is 1 good thing about the recession, it must be the opportunity for some variety to return to the high street.

fc123

carolt wrote: »

Thanks, I'll try your tip next time I'm in Soho.

Agree with you about how sad it is places losing their character to identikit high steet shops.

If there is 1 good thing about the recession, it must be the opportunity for some variety to return to the high street.

It'll take a few years though.

I confess..I have 'sold out' in terms of how I am sold...but not how I manufacture...but only for now. I think it could push up to a different level......hey...then I can do it my way 100% again.
Or I may just bank the £££ then skulk off to Chesil Beach in my expensive wooden summer house and hide away.

carolt

I do love your posts. Always feel very inspired.

Currently have two scarily massive business ideas but precisely zero time to actually implement them or do anything about them at all.

Wish I had your business nous/experience/confidence.

Plus any free time at all!!