[Closed] Businesses that ought to fail.

I would go to good indie coffee shops if there were any. I've only ever been to one good one, that was in Brussels.

Also, I shop at White Stuff and Fat Face 🙂 But only in the sales.

No, I drink Starbucks Verona whole bean at home.

when you have curry, do you have a korma?
do you use 'sensitive' moisturiser?
etc.

All coffee in this country is crap. So it's pointless bickering about it.
FACT.

'Independents' of any flavour that think they've a god-given right to survive.

Most chains started out as independents that did things right- that's why they were successful businesses that grew. Of course, some over reached themselves, but that's a different story

I only support decent indie coffee shops

When one opens in Rochdale/Bury, please let me know.

Costa flat white FTW. I am not unaware that my fondness for Costa may be due to there being a 24h branch in the main entrance of a large central Leeds establishment in which I worked.

Andy

when you have curry, do you have a korma?
do you use 'sensitive' moisturiser?
etc.

No, and no. Wtf?

I don't use moisturiser, and given the choice when I go for a curry I have Indian creative and/or home style food from the brilliant Mint and Mustard in Cardiff.

So there.

I know good coffee, and I know Starbucks coffee isn't the best ever but it's very drinkable and has its own character. I also know that there is a whole landscape of coffee from different parts of the world, and it's all to be appreciated on its own merits, not relative to some ideal goal. Given the choice I drink single origin coffee, and I could tell the difference between South American, Indonesian and African coffee in a blind test.

So I PREFER the taste of Starbucks to Costa, I'm allowed to, and I don't think there's any absolute measure of quality that makes one dreadful and one great. So there.

These American Candy, American Sweet shops.

Cannot help throwing a glance at the Lucky Charm cereal or Apple flavoured Dr Pepper or whatever ceap they have in the shopfront for approaching a tenner.

Never see anybody in them yet they have about half a dozen workers in them usually.

So there.

man's got a point.

so there.

hora
Are you implying a burst in there with my sexual-AK47?

binners
Stand back! This could go off any second!!!!!!

Officer I can explain, I was just cleaning it and it went off in my hand

Be careful where you point that thing

But I can't choose can I, I have a telly I am forced to pay the BBC.

See, but the licence fee doesn't just pay for programmes on the BBC does it. It also funds a large part of the infrastructure used to broadcast the tele and also subsidises some of Chanel 4 and ITV local news.

So without it there is no tele, this is a choice you already have.

They should make the BBC "pay as you go" or by public subscription only. If the public support and quality it there then they'll not have a problem.

This is the worst idea ever. Force the BBC to make a profit and you get endless ITV drivel. We only get the quality of programming we do as the beeb doesn't have to chase viewers.

I was just discussing this the other day with the Mrs. The BBC can put on controversial programmes and say things that commercial networks can't because they would be worried about upsetting people - the BBC could be considered to have an obligation to actually do such things.

Also, even 'reality TV' stuff on the BBC actually has a well thought out point, usually, along with being car crash telly. Then again there's stuff like East Enders with a sense of social responsibility to bring up difficult and controversial subjects.

If the BBC ever goes away it'll be a bad bad day.

If McDonalds went I'm sure the countryside would soon be a bit tidier, until the goons that use them found someone else's litter to chuck out of car windows.
Saw some of their crap in Swaledale a couple of weeks ago. God only knows where the nearest maccy sodding d's is to Swaledale!

Starbucks, HOW MUCH FOR A CUP OF THAT CRAP! you mugs.

Etc etc etc.

[i]I know good coffee, and I know Starbucks coffee isn't the best ever but it's very drinkable and has its own character. I also know that there is a whole landscape of coffee from different parts of the world, and it's all to be appreciated on its own merits, not relative to some ideal goal. Given the choice I drink single origin coffee, and I could tell the difference between South American, Indonesian and African coffee in a blind test.

So I PREFER the taste of Starbucks to Costa, I'm allowed to, and I don't think there's any absolute measure of quality that makes one dreadful and one great. So there.[/i]

Sorry molgrips, I don't want to have a go at you, but why does anyone feel the desperate need to have a cup of coffee in the middle of a town or city?

It's a load of old bollocks! We are a very well developed nation, with oodles of history and tradition and drinking coffee while wandering about the place is not an important part of that culture. It's bullshit, designed to take your money in return for a drink of something warm.

Stop it and they will go away; it adds nothing of any value at all to the country.

...and 'barista'....

Jesus H Christ, you make coffee, it's not a bloody career, it's being a sodding waitress, whatever you call it..

The BBC can put on controversial programmes and say things that commercial networks can't because they would be worried about upsetting people

Which is why ITV revealed the Savile story, and the BBC didn't 😕

why does anyone feel the desperate need to have a cup of coffee in the middle of a town or city?

Why ever not?

We are a very well developed nation, with oodles of history and tradition and drinking coffee while wandering about the place is not an important part of that culture.

I tell you what IS a very important part of our culture though - letting people get on with whatever they choose to do. And also integrating bits of other cultures...

And so what if they use the word 'barista'? Who the f cares? Are you going to complain about using the word 'barman' for someone in a pub? It's the same thing.

There's no difference between going to a coffee shop for a snack and going to anywhere else, pub, cafe, anything. Get over it.

PS I sit down and drink my coffee. Like people have been doing in this country (and others) since the 18th century.

I will fight you all the way on this 🙂

I will respectfully agree to disagree with you about this because I cannot see that this is anything other than a waste of money.

The same could be said of anything that one person likes and another doesn't 🙂 Beer is a good example.

I believe Starbucks did have an enormous wobble in the last couple of years, as they worked out that a) the coffee wasn't good enough, and b) the pervading smell in the shop wasn't coffee anyway, but cheese from the toasties.

Supposedly they've got their act together; can't say I'd noticed the difference, and as their contribution to the uk is minimal I'd rather go to Costa where the coffee is much nicer.

British Gas.
Apalling shower of sh!te, gave them two attempts at providing me with a service and both times they failed to turn up for their morning/afternoon appointments in the correct half of the day. Then when I phoned up to complain they asked if there was anything else the could 'help' me with. Yes, you can **** off and die you useless, pointless aholes.

At home there's a great little shop I've been using for the last decade or so, I know the girls who work there really well, and it's nice to just sit reading, using O2's wifi from next door, or just people watching on a sunny afternoon.

There was/is a cracking coffee shop on Rose Lane in Liverpool I spent hours in when we lived there. I'd far rather support an independent.

As above, if anyone has any recommendations in Rochdale/Bury...

Andy

Weren't coffee shops the original gathering points of radicals/revolutionaries many many moons ago, so if they provide a congenial space in which to further these aims then that can only be good. non ?

Andy, have you tried Coffee Cali top of Yorkshire street, or Macaroon on Bury Road, Bamford?

#Edit.. Oh, and the Norden Arms opens this month (used to be the Blue Ball Pub) and they are open from 9AM - I'm guessing they will be serving coffee!

Their coffee is very ordinary

To be honest, all the big chains are adequate in coffee terms rather than brilliant. It's the other stuff in Starbucks that makes us go there. Their vanilla syrup for instance is nicer than Costa's, and they do White Mochas and Chai Lattes that my wife likes. And the sandwiches really are good.

Currently drinking a Costa flat white - it's bigger than a Starbucks one and has less coffee I think, so it's more like a cappucino with whole milk. Ok, but I will get an extra shot next time.

The best thing for a coffee lover in Starbucks is the range of filter coffees. They have several regional coffees, some blends and the blonde roast too, usually two of them on the go at any one time. They really are full of complex flavours, well brewed and a pretty interesting drink.

I would rather support independents too, but I don't want to support mediocrity, and there's a hell of a lot of it around in coffee shops. If you think Starbucks is bad you should have tried Madison's, the alternative in Cardiff before Starbucks moved in.

why does anyone feel the desperate need to have a cup of coffee in the middle of a town or city?

Blame the generation brought up watching "Friends".

My Sister & BiL seem incapable of going anywhere without ending up in a coffee shop. Weirdos. 😀

My wife can make much better coffee & cake than Starbucks and the rest of those grotty little places.

Starbucks is where you progress to once you've out-grown McDonalds.

Halfords.

Pubs serving coffee is just plain wrong. There's nothing worse than being at a busy bar and the person next to you ordering a decaffe latte, 2 mochachino's, and a caramel Mocha

So back to original question - all pubs serving coffee deserve to go bust!

Anywhere I don't shop at deserves to go bust.

No real logic to that, other than they're superfluous to my requirements so may as well not exist.

There are too many businesses to list that should ge bust in this country, consdiering that the prevailing idea of customer service here is along the lines of "what can we do for you? not much I hope", and too often customers seem to be a necessarily evil to be tolerated.

DF effin' S. At least we'd be rid of their adverts!

I have to say, this "The best thing for a coffee lover in Starbucks is the range of filter coffees" is very true.

It means you can get a proper black coffee not just a pithy espresso topped up with 500ml of hot water.

Having said that all the chain coffee shops deserve to fail along with fast food places for what they're currently doing to the nations health and waist-lines.

Sorry molgrips, I don't want to have a go at you, but why does anyone feel the desperate need to have a cup of coffee in the middle of a town or city?

It's a load of old bollocks! We are a very well developed nation, with oodles of history and tradition and drinking coffee while wandering about the place is not an important part of that culture. It's bullshit, designed to take your money in return for a drink of something warm.

Stop it and they will go away; it adds nothing of any value at all to the country.

Ahem:

[url] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd%27s_Coffee_House [/url]

are so some of the money goes on the broadcast hardware, I'm happy to chip in if I choose to have a telly. As far as some of the money going to actual broadcasters I'd prefer to choose who I spend with and not be dictated to who is the broadcaster that has a right to my money.

Now as the BBC seems to the the highest quality supplier of telly programmes and radio, then there will be loads of support for public subscription or even pay as you go. They could keep all the money, no need to make any money other than in the way they already do now by selling there quality programmes around the world. They could still keep the profit driven publishing arm they have.

Andy, have you tried Coffee Cali top of Yorkshire street, or Macaroon on Bury Road, Bamford?

Macaroon FTW. Eagerly awaiting the reopening of the the Norden Arms as it's <10 min walk from my house.

Andy

I'm with crikey

Flippin coffee shops. I mean Baristas?! Had to come up with a stupid name for someone who just makes coffee. It's not Flippin hard!

People going in about the new red cups in Starbucks like they're lusting after the new igadget! FFs

People who can't go anywhere without calling in to get a coffee, people spending over £30 a week on the crappy stuff! Wonder how many folk out there buy it as they think it looks cool?

Went in to a cafe in Brum this week, all the muppets in there sat around their MacBooks, trying to look hipster. FFs, the looks of scorn I got for sitting amidst them with a pot of tea and a chunk of cake!

Oh and don't get me started on the whole roadie/coffee thing

Nob 'eds

Raaarrrrrrrr

Being a car paper-boy isn't hard either but they made a name for it.. you are the nob ed in this scenario for thinking it's all some big fashion statement instead of simply a tasty beverage.

I don't even drink coffee but quite like Starbucks / Costa etc. Quite often use them for lunch and a chance to catch up on mail when working in London.

Only the yoof of today would think that drinking coffee had anything to do with an American TV series.

The "Tech-guys"

Nah, sorry folks, but I just don't get it at all. If you feel the need to sit and drink coffee in towns and cities go right ahead, fill yer boots.

I don't, and I see it as an amazing waste of money with a complex back story of social status and keeping-up-with-the-Joneses.

I work with doctors who buy a coffee from Costa on the way to work, and with cleaners who have a cup of tea when they get up. I get a cup of coffee when I get up and sometimes one in the middle of the morning, both instant, both drunk stood up.

It's a class and status signifier, not just a warm drink. There's nothing wrong with it, but don't give me that shite about lovely tastey comfy homey bollocks...

Went in to a cafe in Brum this week, all the muppets in there sat around their MacBooks, trying to look hipster. FFs, the looks of scorn I got for sitting amidst them with a pot of tea and a chunk of cake!

I think you're imagining the looks of scorn tbh. Also, don't you collect ridiculously expensive and mostly daft looking 'fashionable' sunglasses?

Blimey, crikey's on a roll tonight. 😯

I agree, get shot of these so called 'coffee shops' with their crap over-priced poncy coffee.

Gawd, it's just so so pretentious. 🙄

Get shot of all fast food outlets, they're gross.

That'll do for now. 🙂

Hey CG 😀

Evening crikey. 😀

Oh yeah, let's tell 'em where to shove their 'cafe chic culture'. FFS. 🙄

It's a class and status signifier, not just a warm drink.

You could argue that about just about anything that people buy though, including mountain bikes. Except you are exempt from that of course. 😉

I kind of get where you are coming from but it's a bit of a weird thing to get so het up about. Maybe some people do just like the taste?

Oh yeah, let's tell 'em where to shove their 'cafe chic culture'. FFS.

Would you and crikey like a nice hot drink to go with the massive chips on your shoulders? Coffee maybe? As long as it's crap instant, drunk standing up of course.