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Coffee shops

(111 Posts)
mrsmopp Tue 21-Nov-17 10:55:19

Coffee shops are making millions - Starbucks and similar. I remember the Kardomah coffee shops in the 60s. The waitresses wore brown cotton overalls, but my main memory is that wonderful smell of roasting coffee beans. The aroma wafted down the street - you could smell it, and you just had to go in and have a coffee. Much missed. Proper cups too, not those throwaway disposal ones.

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 13:59:50

Thank you all. I suppose 'saying it' makes it a bit more real. I mistakenly thought I could carrying on pretending if I never said it. So.. well, thanks! flowers

KatyK Tue 21-Nov-17 13:59:59

MissAdventure How terrible.

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 14:04:20

Terrible is the right word, KatyK. Its the kind of thing that happens to other people, we think. Even when we're in the middle of it.

kittylester Tue 21-Nov-17 14:18:51

35 is cruelly young MissAdventure. I hope you have lots of support but, if you don't, talk to us. flowers

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 14:24:28

Thanks, I will. We only really had each other for support.

Blinko Tue 21-Nov-17 14:35:41

MissA - no words..flowers

TerriBull Tue 21-Nov-17 14:50:43

MissAdventure, so sorry for your heartbreaking loss flowers

Regarding coffee shops, I used to favour Costa, in fact for a good few years I was a big fan. These days I prefer to patronise individual coffee shops, there are quite a few in my local high street, that wasn't the case when we first moved here. I think it's much better to try and help a local business succeed with everything that's loaded against them. Totnes in Devon won't let any of the multi nationals in, they want to preserve local shops. It's a lovely place with a multitude of great coffee shops far better than the Costas, Cafe Nero and worst of all Starbucks.

humptydumpty Tue 21-Nov-17 14:51:59

What are the prices like, Terri?

humptydumpty Tue 21-Nov-17 14:52:17

I mean, compared with the cahins you mention..

Jalima1108 Tue 21-Nov-17 14:55:44

MissAdventure I am so sorry for your loss; I hope you are having the support you need; if not in RL, then GN has proved to be a great support to others who have been bereaved.
flowers

BlueBelle Tue 21-Nov-17 14:55:48

Ohh Misadventure I m so very sorry This is so difficult for so many at the moment I so wish we could help in some way I can’t think of anything worse than losing a child however adult My one wish is that I die before any of my children become ill or worse
Please have a big virtual hug from me xxx

Baggs Tue 21-Nov-17 14:58:26

MissAdventure, please accept my condolences on the death of your daughter flowers

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 14:58:29

Thank you again. I know how great gransnet is at providing support when folk need it. Its a lifeline.

kittylester Tue 21-Nov-17 14:58:56

On the subject of Kardomah's - my Mum and Dad met there during the war!

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 15:02:56

Every week Costa would send me an email, and ask me to fill in a survey regarding my most recent experience. Every week I complained! Was it relaxing? No! Was it clean? Not particularly, and so on. Small things please small mind, so they say.

TerriBull Tue 21-Nov-17 15:06:58

Ooh I can't remember what the Totnes ones charged humptydumpty, but I imagine it was pretty standard and they had some nice food on offer. I haven't frequented Costa for a while so I don't know what they charge now, I do remember having one of their cards which they stamped everytime a coffee was purchased so a full card, 10 stamps I think, entitled the card holder to a freebie. My favourite local coffee shop charges £2.40 for a flat white, with their 10% discount card which they hand out. Too much of course but it's anything between £2.50 and just over £3 in my neck of the woods. It's not an everyday habit though.

mostlyharmless Tue 21-Nov-17 15:20:30

So sorry to hear your very sad news missadventure. Hope you have support from friends or family.

Nannylovesshopping Tue 21-Nov-17 15:21:12

MissAdventure so sorry to hear the death of your beloved daughter, words I'm sure don't really help, but much support and virtual hugs from me

MissAdventure Tue 21-Nov-17 15:28:00

Thank you. Sorry I took over the thread.

silverlining48 Tue 21-Nov-17 15:35:37

Absolutely no need to apologise misadventure. We are all thinking of you xx

humptydumpty Tue 21-Nov-17 15:41:31

MissAdventure, my sincere condolences too, I'm sure no matter how 'expected' it must be a terrible shock, especially in one so young. flowers

Baggs Tue 21-Nov-17 15:48:57

Make the annoying Costa emails go straight into your junk mail folder, MissA, or unsubscribe from their mailshots.

On the coffee front, I can drink Costa or Starbucks coffee so long as I have something sweet to eat with it (sugar in it isn't the same). When I need a caffeine kick, like when driving for hours, C & S coffees do the trick. At home we drink a very mild, unbitter supermarket blend and I have it at about a quarter strength.

Greggs coffee is good too.

Greyduster Tue 21-Nov-17 15:55:45

Plus one here for Greggs coffee. The only time we drink Costa is when we stop at Strensham services on the M5. We have a number of independent coffee shops around here and they are reasonable and serve good fresh coffee.

Galen Tue 21-Nov-17 15:56:03

Kardomah! Oh for my youth again.
Russian tea with lemon and Welsh rarebit and blushing bunnies to die for.
( hmm thinks, could have cheese on toast for supper?)

Sar53 Tue 21-Nov-17 16:02:50

Misadventure my condolences on the very sad loss of your daughter. Hugs from me flowers.