11 Aug 09, 2:50 PM
zelie
UK(HA), 9 yrs
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SirStephen00 wrote:
A coffee,
Miss_Lead wrote:
What would you go there for if you run your own I wonder?
SirStephen00 wrote:
As much as admired the place, and was grateful a kinky but nilla place existed, I wouldn't really choose to go there for a coffee.
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The takings from the till perhaps? 
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I'm about as submissive as dracula on speed....
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11 Aug 09, 2:52 PM
Ms_Tytania
7 yrs |
zelie wrote:
I think most of the formica counters/tables etc have been ripped out. Or at least they have on the ones i used to go to. There are no signs - not even out front. So decor is likely to a minor problem.
The point of it having previously been a coffee shop or similar place is that it had the correct licence to serve food and have it consumed on the premises. If the basics are in place (decent plumbing, separate kitchen area with or without equipment, vermin-proof doors through the back etc) then it's much more likely that anyone taking over would be able to get a licence. All of the work in getting the place up to spec is already done, you see. If you pick something that was previously a butcher's or a bookshop then you have to spend an awful lot of money making sure the premises are ok to serve food and drink in. I'm sure there are plenty of coffee shops and cafes which have gone under recently and which are available for lease - much easier to move into one of those.
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In that case yes, I'm with you now. Apart form the licence, CCK needs a discrete second room where you can let your hair down kinkily. That was, I think one of the major attractions of the first shop: it was very vanilla, right bang in the middle of London, but lots of stuff went on in the room downstairs... *sighs with nostalgia*
"People are inherently evil, but very, very funny" - Joe Orton.
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11 Aug 09, 2:57 PM
zelie
UK(HA), 9 yrs
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Ms_Sodomitrix wrote:
zelie wrote:
I think most of the formica counters/tables etc have been ripped out. Or at least they have on the ones i used to go to. There are no signs - not even out front. So decor is likely to a minor problem.
The point of it having previously been a coffee shop or similar place is that it had the correct licence to serve food and have it consumed on the premises. If the basics are in place (decent plumbing, separate kitchen area with or without equipment, vermin-proof doors through the back etc) then it's much more likely that anyone taking over would be able to get a licence. All of the work in getting the place up to spec is already done, you see. If you pick something that was previously a butcher's or a bookshop then you have to spend an awful lot of money making sure the premises are ok to serve food and drink in. I'm sure there are plenty of coffee shops and cafes which have gone under recently and which are available for lease - much easier to move into one of those.
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In that case yes, I'm with you now. Apart form the licence, CCK needs a discrete second room where you can let your hair down kinkily. That was, I think one of the major attractions of the first shop: it was very vanilla, right bang in the middle of London, but lots of stuff went on in the room downstairs... *sighs with nostalgia*
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Yes, it was nice being snugly away from the world down there. If only we could find an ex Coffee Republic which came with it's own dungeon.
I wonder if any new CCK would have the same sorts of problems with a new landlord. Maybe it's better to look away from 'traditional' areas in the centre of London and look to areas where more 'marginal' businesses are acceptable. Camden is one that springs to mind but I'm sure there must be others. I'm about as submissive as dracula on speed....
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11 Aug 09, 3:05 PM
Ms_Tytania
7 yrs |
zelie wrote:
I wonder if any new CCK would have the same sorts of problems with a new landlord. Maybe it's better to look away from 'traditional' areas in the centre of London and look to areas where more 'marginal' businesses are acceptable. Camden is one that springs to mind but I'm sure there must be others.
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It's my understanding that the problems had nothing to do with CCK being what it was, and all with the landlord being an unreasonable arsehole who will probably give his next tenants grief.
Oh and btw, I've volunteered too, yay!  "People are inherently evil, but very, very funny" - Joe Orton.
Edited 11 Aug 09, 3:06 PM by Ms_Tytania
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11 Aug 09, 5:35 PM
boy050505
UK, 7 yrs |
http://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/LOemail/wi...
"Coffee Republic, the London-based coffee bar operator, has become the latest victim of the recession and entered administration.
Richard Hill and David Crawshaw from professional services firm KPMG Restructuring have been appointed as joint administrators of Coffee Republic (UK), Coffee Republic Franchising and Goodbean, although holding company Coffee Republic Plc is not in administration.
Founded in 1995, there are currently 187 Coffee Republic outlets across the UK and 10 in international locations, with 20 directly owned by Coffee Republic (UK) and 70 operated under franchise agreements through Coffee Republic Franchising. The remaining 97 coffee bars operate within cinemas, retail outlets and hotels
Hill said: "The recession is hitting discretionary spending on the High Street and some of the less profitable bars with expensive leases have suffered. However, Coffee Republic has a strong brand and I expect considerable interest in the profitable parts of the business.
"We will be doing whatever we can to find a buyer for the residual business as a going concern as quickly as possible, so interested parties will have to be prepared to move fast."
In addition to its UK operations, Coffee Republic operates sites in Bulgaria, Kuwait, Malta, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Ireland, Jordan, Muscat and Bahrain."
Seems that only the trading company is in administration. I suspect that the low profit premises leases will be shed and the rest will reappear under "new" management. If CR could not make a premises pay an independent operator would struggle. Life is not a munch.
You do not need to wear a label to join in
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13 Aug 09, 2:16 PM
Flowerbelle
UK, 4 yrs
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And can the new one be on the no. 25 bus route?  please?!! |
13 Aug 09, 3:28 PM
Miss_Namio
UK(DT), 5 yrs
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NaughtyJim wrote:
I don't know if anyone would agree with me here, but I thought that the layout of the Endell Street was near perfect (needed to be about 33% bigger upstairs, 50%+ downstairs). I felt that upstairs with the pavement cafe allowed people to feel 'normal' - you could just have a coffee on the street and be kinda proud of your sexuality. The basement provided a very cool concealed vibe where you could step into another world away from 'nilla eyes...
...Is this layout something we'd all want to keep?
Edited to say: How would you want the layout to be?
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But the downstairs and/or concealed area needs to be much more accessible - it was a major undertaking for even those with a very minor disability to get down the old venue's stairs! Even us wonky people want to be amongst the deviants, not just the "normals"!! Lip Up Phatty
Edited 13 Aug 09, 3:30 PM by Miss_Namio
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13 Aug 09, 8:22 PM
NaughtyJim
UK(W), 5 yrs
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Miss_Namio wrote:
NaughtyJim wrote:
I don't know if anyone would agree with me here, but I thought that the layout of the Endell Street was near perfect (needed to be about 33% bigger upstairs, 50%+ downstairs). I felt that upstairs with the pavement cafe allowed people to feel 'normal' - you could just have a coffee on the street and be kinda proud of your sexuality. The basement provided a very cool concealed vibe where you could step into another world away from 'nilla eyes...
...Is this layout something we'd all want to keep?
Edited to say: How would you want the layout to be?
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But the downstairs and/or concealed area needs to be much more accessible - it was a major undertaking for even those with a very minor disability to get down the old venue's stairs! Even us wonky people want to be amongst the deviants, not just the "normals"!!
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I have a feeling it will be. I spoke to Alana yesterday; apparently when they first rented the Endell Street location they were going to put in new stairs, but then found that it was a grade 2 listed building...
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13 Aug 09, 8:46 PM
Charless
UK(WC), 11 yrs
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Miss_Namio wrote:
<snip> it was a major undertaking for even those with a very minor disability to get down the old venue's stairs! <snip>
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Although I didn't have any problem with the stairs (so long as I remembered to start the ascent or descent on the correct foot), I was highly amused one understaffed evening when I had volunteered to collect the empties from downstairs, to be told that I couldn't carry them upstairs because I wasn't 'insured for the stairs'. And I wasn't even wearing heels!
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14 Aug 09, 12:20 PM
Miss_Namio
UK(DT), 5 yrs
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It would be such a good opportunity to increase their customer base if they can create an easier to access CCK - it may take more forethought and creativity in the planning stage but then it's a win-win situation for all concerned!
Lip Up Phatty
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