I enjoy stopping for a coffee and a snack. It gets me out of the house and I can people-watch. But I've cut it back majorly this last few months. All except one of the naff-caffs have closed and we're left with the trendy north London eateries where an all day breakfast is well north of £10 - in fact any snack or small meal is the same. Add on a coffee which has crept up past £3. I know they've got overheads and electricity bills. I know they're competing for staff. Blah, blah, sob.
Posted by Caroline Greenwell on 16 July, 2023 at 7:07 PM
A lot depends on the environment, how many staff they have, whether there is table service, etc. Nearly £1 of the price (at least in the teashop) is VAT. The cost of staff, even on the minimum wage, is significant (national insurance, auto-enrolment pension, liability insurance, holiday/parental pay, etc.); not to mention soaring rents, rates and utilities. I am not trying to justify £5.85 for a cup of tea by any stretch, but I would be surprised if the teashop is making vast profits overall. I look on buying a cup of tea in a place like that as an experience, and judge how much I'm willing to fork out for that.
We recently went to an open garden event. All the (rather good) refreshments were free; there was a large vessel for donations. The total of the donations was provided after the event - far more than they would have got charging for the refreshments!
Posted by Tim W. on 17 July, 2023 at 7:59 AM
I reckon I wouldn't go past £2 for tea; for coffee a little higher at £3.50 unless it's just filter coffee in which case back to more like £2. I'm gobsmacked at over a fiver. :( This is why so many gardens and other visitable places totally exclude many families or folks on lower incomes - that would be over £40 for a family of four, and I'd definitely wimp out well before that, given there is also an admission price to juggle.
Posted by Tamsin on 17 July, 2023 at 1:30 PM
Parish Councils have no legal power to give funding to churches.
Posted by NLW on 17 July, 2023 at 10:20 PM
NLW - maybe, but it doesn't seem to stop them doing it, and all accounts have to be audited every year, so presumably it is permissible, if a majority of councillors vote for it.
It makes me uncomfortable though, that my council tax money is used for propping up something I don't believe in.
I enjoy stopping for a coffee and a snack. It gets me out of the house and I can people-watch. But I've cut it back majorly this last few months. All except one of the naff-caffs have closed and we're left with the trendy north London eateries where an all day breakfast is well north of £10 - in fact any snack or small meal is the same. Add on a coffee which has crept up past £3. I know they've got overheads and electricity bills. I know they're competing for staff. Blah, blah, sob.
Posted by Caroline Greenwell on 16 July, 2023 at 7:07 PMA lot depends on the environment, how many staff they have, whether there is table service, etc. Nearly £1 of the price (at least in the teashop) is VAT. The cost of staff, even on the minimum wage, is significant (national insurance, auto-enrolment pension, liability insurance, holiday/parental pay, etc.); not to mention soaring rents, rates and utilities. I am not trying to justify £5.85 for a cup of tea by any stretch, but I would be surprised if the teashop is making vast profits overall. I look on buying a cup of tea in a place like that as an experience, and judge how much I'm willing to fork out for that.
We recently went to an open garden event. All the (rather good) refreshments were free; there was a large vessel for donations. The total of the donations was provided after the event - far more than they would have got charging for the refreshments!
Posted by Tim W. on 17 July, 2023 at 7:59 AMI reckon I wouldn't go past £2 for tea; for coffee a little higher at £3.50 unless it's just filter coffee in which case back to more like £2. I'm gobsmacked at over a fiver. :( This is why so many gardens and other visitable places totally exclude many families or folks on lower incomes - that would be over £40 for a family of four, and I'd definitely wimp out well before that, given there is also an admission price to juggle.
Posted by Tamsin on 17 July, 2023 at 1:30 PMParish Councils have no legal power to give funding to churches.
Posted by NLW on 17 July, 2023 at 10:20 PMNLW - maybe, but it doesn't seem to stop them doing it, and all accounts have to be audited every year, so presumably it is permissible, if a majority of councillors vote for it.
It makes me uncomfortable though, that my council tax money is used for propping up something I don't believe in.
Posted by Blue Witch on 18 July, 2023 at 7:31 AM