Having coffee and observing the staff

General Chat Chat / Discussions
41

Its not what you do its how/where you do it.

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42

And then get addicted
 :009:

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43

Yes an ambience can get addictive and expensive

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44

I know a song about that.

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45

Apologies for the tardy reply Besoeker.
I’ve been on a course most of the week and I’m still catching up on forum topics.

In short the hospitality sector is suffering for a number of different reasons at the moment. One example is that there’s a tendency for people to buy some really decent grub and a bottle of good wine and enjoy it in the comfort or their own home.
Who can blame them? Think about the bog standard corporate chain type eateries. Who wants to pay over the top prices for junk in an environment totally devoid of atmosphere. There’s some lovely independent places around if you look.

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46

An advantage of living in small towns, we haven’t been "contaminated’ by chain type diners/cafĂ©s. :slightly_smiling_face:

It actually took two decades to bring back a McDonald’s which had been closed down, we have a Burger King too now, but they are a minority, compared to the vast amount of independent, family owned, little characteristic bars/restaurants/pizzerias, etc. :smiley:

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47

Sounds wonderful Rose!
Does that abundance of eateries keep prices competitive and affordable?

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48

A lot is also influenced by which country you are in. When I travel back to the UK I find the number of chain coffee shops, fast food outlets and restaurants disappointing - and it is everywhere not just the big cities. In rural France, where I live, if I drew 30 km radius circle from my house, there is one McD’s and 
 that is it for chains. Dozens of privately owned bars, restaurants, tearooms of course.

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49

Lots of poverty and poor people around Sheffield and Rotherham and even beginning to leech into Doncaster. If there were no McDonalds or KFC’s in great abundance, these people would not be able to eat. There is a good reason why our cities are beginning to deteriorate but I wouldn’t be allowed to post it.

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50

Foxy! :open_mouth:

That is just plain silly!
I’ve worked in quite a few customer facing roles in my time in hospitality, quite late in life, way beyond my spotty teenage years. I still enjoy it, engaging with others, always learning


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51

Nothing personal Chilli, just a light hearted look at the world today

:wink:

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52

I know that Foxy!
I read you loud and clear :slightly_smiling_face::+1:

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53

Thank you kindly, Mr Chillboot. We do enjoy a nice chilled wine with lunch at our local pub.

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54

Hi

Very few chains in the Town Centre, mostly on the Retail Parks.

We are very fortunate in having a lot of independent shops and cafes in the Town Centre.

We also have an amazing sandwich shop in the Town Centre, made in front of you when you order and especially popular in summer.

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55

If you want a Turkish shave or haircut, or a vape, or a second hand reposesed phone, Doncaster is the place for you

You’ll need to go to one of the out of town garden centres if you want a good meal though.

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56

I would say they are affordable and competitive, yes . In our bars, for example, the cost of an espresso coffee ranges from €1,20 to €1,50. You can still buy a pizza slice from pizza places for about €1,50.

Naples is still decently affordable, even if it’s a big city.

During family holidays we’ve visited and explored many beautiful little towns in Central and Northern Italy, accommodation and eating out all at decent costs.

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57

If my experience in the UK is anything to go by, none of the chains could make a decent coffee, Starbucks was by far the worst, Costa a close second.

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58

One does not have this problem with Tea, problems problems, who needs them?

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59

Keep Blighty “Tea Toff” free :grin:

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60

I don’t know if you ever visited Algerian Coffee Stores in Soho during your time working in The West End Rose?
It’s donkeys years since I’ve been there but what an amazing place!
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When I was a gopher working at Terence Conran’s design studios in Neal Street as a seventeen year old I’d be sent to buy mega bags of his own special blend of coffee for the staff’s breaks. No value tins of NescafĂ© for us! :slightly_smiling_face:

All very tempting, you could spend a fortune, chocolate too!
I think it’s the first and only time I’ve seen a tea brick. :thinking:
Definitely going for a visit during our next day trip to London!

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