Wake up and smell the coffee – it’s our success
OH NO – not another coffee shop! It is a refrain I have often seen in posts on social media.
But there is something they are really missing.
We would all love to go back 30 years when retail dominated.
In Southport, our big department stores were bustling; we had lots of clothes stores, and Lord Street was famous for its independent shops and jewellers.
Our main picture was taken in Lord Street in Southport in 1983, with Denise Fashions (a unit which now sits empty), on the corner of Bold Street.
But our high streets are changing – and rapidly.
Already this year, nationally, 10,000 retail jobs have been lost, with those working at Debenhams on Lord Street sadly among the casualties.
So what will replace these empty spaces?
Last year, figures revealed how the UK coffee shop market was valued at £10.1bn over 25,483 outlets, with a 7.9% annual sales increase cementing two decades of growth.
The number of pubs in the UK may be decreasing, but more and more people are enjoying popping in for a coffee.
The big chains, such as Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Caffe Nero have all filled their boots during this period of growth, but it has also given rise to lots of independent entrepreneurs.
They bring with them jobs, investment and vibrancy to the high street, and greater choice for consumers. So why not?
In a great post on the Stand Up For Southport Facebook group, Jayne O’Neil wrote: “I have seen some negative comments ‘we don’t need/not another coffee shop’, but in my experience these social meeting spaces are core to town centres and personal wellbeing.
“In an age where we all seem to be glued to our devices, these spaces create the opportunity for people of all ages to meet and chat in a relaxing environment... and then go on to mooch about the town... and usually make a purchase or two. Get positive!”
Paula Garlick commented: “Whether we like it or not change is inevitable, for town centres to survive they need to change and social and leisure experiences are what is needed nowadays.
“Where my grandmother would have met up with a friend for an afternoon in Lewis’s I want to meet my friend and sit and chat over coffee for an hour or two.
“So the more coffee shops in a pleasant setting the better.”
Rather than complain about seeing more coffee shops and cafes on our high street, we should embrace the change and support them – especially those which are locallyowned and independent.
Here in Southport, we have lots of choice, and they have greatly improved the area.
Among them is Remedy, which moved into the former Town Gardens Café site. With its live music events and rows of deckchairs outside during warmer weather, it brings colour to the Town Hall Gardens (and the gins and home-made cakes are great too).
Owners Sarah Simcock and Susannah Porter said: “Coffee is something you can become really passionate about and there is nothing better when you are an independent than hearing that someone really enjoyed your coffee.
“Coffee shops provide a whole range of functions for the community today.
“They are a place to hang out, meet people, grab a quick fix or get some work done and although there is obviously a place for the big chains, you can’t beat the personal touch of an independent coffee shop.”
At the award-winning A Great Little Pace nearby, inside The Atkinson, they offer locally-roasted coffee, made by trained baristas, and imaginative food created in their kitchen.
Existing for a great reason, thanks to the Autism
Initiatives charity, the café makes a positive difference to the lives of people with autism.
You will be lucky to find a seat in a venue which already has a huge following.
Across the road, the unit opposite was vacant for months after Monsoon closed – until burgeoning local coffee firm 92 Degrees opened its first venture outside Liverpool city centre.
A spokesman said: “We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
“Southport is an amazing place. We were blown away by the community spirit here, and were incredibly keen to fit in and contribute to this.
“The space we chose, Martin’s Bank, is the site of a 1930s high-street bank, and is graced with stunning original features such as a marble exterior, full-height windows, a stunning circular door and elaborate plaster cornices and arches.”
Further along
Lord
Street, the décor inside Copper & Ivy has to be seen to be believed.
The venue’s ceiling is covered with branches from a silver birch from the owners’ parents’ house.
Flowers and foliage dangle from every branch creating an oasis in the middle of town.
But it is not just about coffee.
Just down the road you can take afternoon tea at the fabulous Westminster Tea Rooms, an elegant presence on this stunning Victorian street.
There are so many other great venues around Southport worth exploring too.
No more coffee shops? We have so many to be proud of in Southport.
They bring colour, life, choice, investment and jobs to our town centres, both in Southport and elsewhere in the UK.
Café culture is thriving here. It’s time we gave their arrival a warmer welcome.
Cheers – I’m off for a cuppa!
What do you think? Where is your favourite?
Join our debate in the
Stand Up For Southport Facebook group, or email the Southport Visiter at: seftoncommunities@ trinitymirror.com