please empty your brain below

My fading memory of Stratford suddenly springs to life: didn't that Starbucks used to be a greasy spoon caff called The Golden Egg? I had English breakfast there once (with a friend from Bow who was taking me up to Romford Road to look for a second-hand car), about 16 years ago, and it was so great I've been reminding myself to go back there again. I fear it is now that Starbucks - because my mental image of the Golden Egg visual/location looks very similar to your picture.

Loved the hilarious description of the plebs in the Starbucks!

Hilarious plebs! Yes indeed; lets laugh at the poor people. Aren't they stupid!?

They don't even appreciate the bon vivant of having their own Starbucks.

Stratford used to have the London Co-op HQ then the London CRS Regional Office. I went to their closing down sale way back when. It's now the Wilkinsons.

Excuse me!, I was in there the other day, and I'm extremely upmarket.

Well... OK, I had a toddler and a screaming baby with me, and I suspect the baby might have been sick down my Berghaus fleece, but whatever - I'm upmarket in my own mind.

You make an excellent point about the new Stratford City and the old shopping centre. I must admit, I rather wondered whether they were going to tear the old one down and make a park, or perhaps set it up as a proper indoor fresh produce market. That would be nifty.

I can't see it thriving as it is with another Bluewater over the road.

To the left of the main picture is an endless run of crappy pound shops until the oasis of Maplin. To the left is a few ugly chain pubs, one that would willingly serve me snakebite and black despite my shaved head and the supposed illegality of the mixture.

Stratford makes Hackney look good. Thankyou Stratford.

Then again, Plaistow makes Stratford look passable, so everywhere is good/bad compared to somewhere else until you get to the pinnacle, Melbourne.

Stratford used to have a Marks & Sparks too (didnt make the place any nicer though)

I miss the Golden Egg!

So, is it true that this Starbucks has replaced the Golden Egg?

The Golden Egg was further east (IIRC) but is also history, replaced by another burger or fried chicken outlet (like Stratford needs any more!)

M&S was on the corner of High Street, Gt.Eastern St and Broadway. The premises still stand and now sells hidious bedroom furniture. "Your M&S"? - not anymore if you live in Stratford, Barking or East Ham..

I thought East Ham still had an M&S...

...but alas no, apparently it closed last June because it was "a very unprofitable store".

How strange you should mention this. I was in Stratford last Friday and was gobsmacked when I saw Starbucks.

I actually went into it (to make sure it was real) and ordered a cup of tea. As I was leaving, two other women were leaving and I heard one of them say "I effing hate Stratford. I'm surprised Starbucks opened here..considering the state of the place".

Hmmmm. My tea was all right though!

PS-DG the "trick" to get a decent cup of tea from Starbucks is to ask for 2 teabags. If you just get the one teabag it's like gnats' piss.

I admit the greasy spoon cafe cup of tea is usually better, but if you are gasping then do try the 2 teabag "trick".

If I'm ever in Stratford and gasping for a cuppa, I'd rather go home and put the kettle on than spend two quid on some Starbucks gnats' piss.

There was I thinking you might be a bit frivolous whilst your best mate was over!

I was delighted when it opened - white caffe mochas only five minutes from my front door - civilisation to the unwashed masses. The bank balance is another matter. There's only so many days a week you can spend £3 on a cup of coffee before you realise it's a £20 a week habit...

Long live Café Mondo!

Almost opposite Starbucks, but SOOOO much nicer...

Think yourself lucky that you could go home to drink tea: I was in NY recently, and without internet access, unless I visited my local Scumfucks, sorry, Starbucks and gave them my custom. In return I got some Wifi (and even then, it was no longer free: T-Mobile are tightwads).

But I needed to work, so I ended up in there daily. So often, in fact, that the staff said to me, "Your usual then?"

*Shudder*

That's the only time I have ever given that place my money and believe me, it was through gritted teeth.

Their coffee was far better than the dreck they serve up in the UK though (I only know what it tastes like here because sometimes when I was filming on location, a film producer might 'treat' some of the crew to a brew.)

It must take an awful lot of gnats to fill up a mug.

The incessant wanky debate about which poxy multi-national chain coffee shop serves the best overpriced coffee (all of whom serve very, very similar products) is another thing which makes me realise I'm living in the wrong era, or at least the wrong country.

Anything would think we're a bunch of barristas, rather than gormless mugs sucked in by good marketing.

I must admit that when I saw we were getting a Starbucks I stopped dead in the street and let out an involuntary wail of distress. In public. At 8 in the morning. I much prefer Cafe Mondo.

And the people who used to congregate in that little corner by Superdrug and drink Special Brew have been summarily evicted as well. Obviously they don't fit the global brand.

If I'm ever in Stratford & gasping for a cuppa, now I know to come pounding on DG's door.

I'd make far more use of a Wilkinsons than an M&S anyday...

Battersea Pig: you're right. It's a shame that it seems it's a choice between over-brewed filter coffee at 50p a mug, or (kinda) the real-deal at rip off McCoffee chain prices. Why is there not a thriving industry of independent baristas? I suspect that development comes after the population has been "woken" up to the types of brews that continental types have enjoyed for many years, by the coffee-chain beachhead. One thing we can thank the Americans for is the moccaccino. When in Italy, I ask for one of their gorgeous hot chocolates with a shot of espresso in it. It results in a gorgeous drink-with-a-kick. It usually results, also, in most of the staff coming into the cafe from out the back to see what strange creature asked for this concoction...
(ps, in cas Battersea Pig was wondering: I love the Coffee Republic triple-shot Mocha with a date scone. I must admit to giving that Seattle crowd my money for an iced Mocha-frap, many times in summer. Is Coffee Republic still around? In autumn 2003 when I left UK they were wobbling a bit.)

Coffee Republic is still around: It sold a lot of its stores to Starbucks and Caffe Nero as they were making large losses.

Why is there not a thriving industry of independent baristas? For years we'd put up with Nescafe in a mug, but now our tastes have become more sophisticated, helped along by Starbucks et al. Independent coffee shops haven’t got too much of a look in, but I'm always hopeful. I suspect rental prices might be a factor. Its that whole chain store/local business thing. People always say they'll support local independent traders, but they're kidding themselves half the time.

Primrose Hill has a good selection of independent coffee shops, so much so that they had a successful campaign to prevent Starbucks moving in. Hope the campaign in Stoke Newington Church Street will be as successful
http://www.londonsocialcentre.org.uk/

I don't like coffee.
Makes life a lot easier.

I as a resident 2004-05 I can say "I remember when this was all shite"

Stratford City is going to bring a whole new meaning to "wrong side of the tracks"...

Here here Djbat. Cafe Mondo did it first and will always be the best. Try the fish and chip shop in water lane that belongs to them too.











TridentScan | Privacy Policy