New coffee chain in ED

[alice]

maybe they are thinking of pulling out from sainsburys

[Undisputedtruth]

I don't think so. There are a number of Starbucks co-located with Sainsbury's. Finchley Road and Greenwich Sainsburys are some of the branches that comes to mind. I popped into Dulwich Sainsburys today and was surprised to see lots of people inside Starbucks. I suspect Starbucks are looking to expand.

I think the real issue here is not whether Starbucks are looking to expand but why some people have no idea what makes a good coffee.

[karter]

Thanks Mike. And just out of interest why are you lot still going on about Starbucks?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Pleasure. And, because its a more contentious and so interesting coffee chain than any other?

[karter]

You are correct, Foxtons coffee is the best.

[Mick Mac]

When I am going to work they are all closed. I have a coffee at Denmark Hill station and I think they serve Segafredo ... To me it seems good and friendly staff too. Happy to be corrected but seems nice to me.

[Pugwash]

I have been to Starbucks twice since it opened in Sainsburys and have never been to Nero. There are too many other places that are cheaper and more comfortable to have a drink in in ED.

[zeban]

amyw Wrote:

>

> most coffees depend on the person making it rather

> than the cafe its coming from.

I don't agree with this. IMO a good coffee depends upon the type of bean the cafe has chosen, the type of machine being used, the settings on that machine, plus getting the amount of coffee correct with the size of the cup- Starbucks cups are far too big- you can't get a good coffee from such sizes. Yes it's the barista who has to froth the milk and this can ruin a coffee if not done well but realistically I think the other things are what matters most in creating a good coffee. All barista's get trained to do the same thing so there shouldn't be much variation in who makes your coffee.

[Jeremy]

I find all this coffee snoberry rather silly (since when was a student with a saturday job called a 'barista'?), but I do find it intriguing why so many people seem to prefer coffee chains to independent cafes. Nero and Starbucks are by no means the most pleasant places to relax in Dulwich... is it that people are lazy, so stick with the familiar rather than trying somewhere new?

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Not long started drinking coffee. Mates back home think I have taken up fancy ways since moving South. They all pretty much taste the same to me, but I do put 5 sugars in them.

[Michael Palaeologus]

If you are taking away, then a Nero or Starbucks cup with insulating cuff is practical. If you are drinking in their is the comfort of familiar surroundings and product wherever yu may be.

I think most people have a coffee for many reasons, the quality and taste sensation is only one of these.

For me Nero is convenient, parked as it is on the Lane. I cant be faffed wandering around the backstreets to find an indie coffee shop.

I am working from home today and at some point will try out Jacks.

[Gidget]

MP,

Try the Volcano coffee round the corner from Nero in the ED Warehouse on Zenoria Street. No wandering the backstreets that way.

[MrBen]

karter Wrote:

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> MrBen, are you saying that there isn't enough

> demand on the strip for another coffee chain/shop?

Yep - that is what I'm saying. Granted, big chains can trade on much lower (or even loss making) margins, but only up to a point. Just drove past Nero's and it was 1/5 full, lunchtime on a Wednesday.

[LaffBorough]

Nawt wrong in taking pride in your food and the service industry.

Best coffee is a bit further west; Federation Coffee in Brixton Village Arcade.

Though there are a few new cafes at the northern end of Lordship Lane which we have not tried yet. Anyone?

Nero, Starbucks and Blue Mountain make rubbish cappuchinos. Like Zeban says, it's all in the grind.

[karter]

Always makes me laugh when somebody goes on that split second they drive or walk past a catering establishment and say it is not busy. After you drove past MrBen 10 people may have walked in placing their orders and so forth.

Every time i go in there with my family the place is packed.

[LadyDeliah]

MikePG - you have embarrassed me.

I have a conflict between the belief that I am a class warrior and my love of good coffee!

I am now in turmoil and don't know what to do with myself.

Should I give up the class warfare, or the lovely coffee?

Maybe I could just pretend I've given up delicious coffee and drink the warm Starbucks water in public (although I'd have to object to their unfair trade policies so need to find another outlet selling cack coffee) and keep my love of gourmet coffee a guilty secret.

[Undisputedtruth]

LadyDeliah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Should I give up the class warfare, or the lovely

> coffee?

No need, stick to the independents where you're able to keep to your ethical values.

[madger]

I'd be sad to see another chain here, largely because a company the size of Starbucks pays way over the market rate for their rental, which encourages the few other commercial landlords on the road to raise their rents to the sort of amounts that only big corporates can afford, not small independent businesses depending on a small group of family or employees to run it. Once this starts happening it usually reaches the critical mass necessary to push all independent shops out, and then you have a high street identical to every other high street with all the usuals. Not saying those shops don't have a role, but I think it's important to fight for locally owned and run businesses; they're an important part of our community, if not the most central part of it. Other Councils have worked with local residents to keep areas chain free - stoke newington, for example. Might a similar thing be possible here?

[Earl Aelfheah]

Well said Madger. We should all support our independents were we can.

[indiepanda]

Agreed. The number of independent shops, restaurants etc was one of the things that attracted to me about East Dulwich when I first came here, gives the place a bit of individual character if it isn't just another clone high street.

[maxxi]

So now that over priced tat shabby-chic shop Old Villa has two branches is it a charming independent or a burgeoning chain? Just asking.

[Undisputedtruth]

I tend to find coffee from independents better and cheaper than the chains.

[pgnf]

I only drink tea in the UK, haven't found many places where I can enjoy a cup of coffee.

Would love if starbucks was changed for a lovely greasy spoon and no need for any new coffee chain, they are all very similar.

[Undisputedtruth]

I like to drink Oolong Tea now and then.

[pinkhalf]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> So now that over priced tat shabby-chic shop Old

> Villa has two branches is it a charming

> independent or a burgeoning chain? Just asking.

Neither, its just a sign that Fulham is here and well...