Back to index of Nerve 24 - Summer 2014

Coffee Houses: The World in Miniature?

By Coffee Connoisseur
Illustration by Nick Daly

Growing up, I could never get my head around the idea of poverty and how it was explained. The idea of 'First World' and 'Third World' left me a little confused; the one being developed countries and the other being erroneously applied to poorer nations. Actually the term 'Third World country' was coined shortly after World War Two in the face of the Cold War. 'First World' refers to the U.S. and its allies and the 'Second World', which I had no idea existed thanks to my poor teachers, refers to the Soviet Union and its allies. Contrary to popular belief, 'Third World' is not the lowest economic third, or about economic status at all, but takes in all non-aligned countries.

My aim was to apply this mis-information to coffee houses.

For my 'First World' coffee experience I chose Costa Coffee, and to represent the 'Third World', Lynn's in Broadway, Norris Green, situated in the 'In-shops' by Rourke's Tavern.

On the approach to Lynn's the first thing you notice is how uninviting it looks, yet you have all walks of life congregating outside.

As I enter I'm greeted by an older lady serving behind the counter. My wait is non-existent as there is no queue. At first she seems quite blunt, but I guess she doesn't get many people in shirts and ties rolling in and politely asking for coffee. The reason for the shirt and tie is purely due to work and nothing else. I'd decided to conduct my visits on the same day, at the same time, and now in the same attire to try to make it as fair as possible.

My choice of beverage is a black coffee with two sugars, which I confirm will be to stay in. The lady uses a basic coffee machine to pour me my drink and puts the sugars in for me. A truly unexciting experience it is too; she then requests the tender which is a bargain at £1!

The staff wear white shirts and a standard blue apron,and their attitudes are really quiet pleasant considering their surroundings. The décor is a mess, very uninviting and very bland. I'm surprised I haven't stopped writing yet, as I can feel my mood changing already, and my imagination is failing rapidly. What I will say for this place is, one, you're not given a loyalty card to keep you coming back in a capitalist fashion and two, you're rewarded with a genuine smile, which is worth much more than any free coffee.

On purchasing my drink I notice that the board reads Tea or Coffee and this is the variety offered. No extravagance here, just an honest break in the day. The people that eat and drink here are a mishmash of different things, some old, some young, some disabled and some drifting in life. They all have one thing in common, each other. As I sit I notice that all that enter are on first name terms and this fills me with contentment and happiness, as no matter how hard a struggle, as long as there are others sharing in it with you, there is always hope. These people are a community where age, colour and status does not matter.

The first thing I notice in Costa is the difference in footfall, although the variance has the same good mixture of age, gender and other factors. The second thing I notice is the price: £2.40 for a large black coffee and 40 pence of this is VAT! Lynn's would never allow VAT, and if she did she would never have let it be known on my receipt - if I'd got one. The staff here are welcoming, much more so than Lynn's, but I guess that's due to seeing us all as an opportunity, rather than a stranger, who could potentially bring an unwanted dimension to a happy community hub. They are very smiley, all with name badges and attractive uniforms and 'up-sell' in such a way you believe that you've come up with the idea of a piece of cake with your drink. I nearly buy some, but I didn't eat cake at Lynn's so that would make the comparison unfair if I ate cake here. Plus I would need to re-mortgage to have a slice of that delicious looking lemon cake!

When I finally do sit down the difference in the two places becomes apparent. This one smells and tastes of coffee, putting Lynn's to shame. Hers is merely an instant variety, this straight from the bean. In truth there can be no comparison, each sip taking me closer to my coffee nirvana as I take in my surroundings. The décor is a mixture of wood, leather, glass and metal, all carefully placed to create an open plan paradise for all walks of life to come and be comfortable. Everybody in here 'seems' happy, but why wouldn't they be, with shops and nice surroundings all around.

I'm suddenly hit with guilt. As I sit here somebody far away is suffering, or has been forced to move from lands occupied by their ancestors so that we in our 'First World' can sit in Costa.

Everybody here is so disconnected from one another. People are wary, much like 'First World' culture, always on the edge of the competition’s next move. What is Lynn's up to now? Who's there? I didn't think I would favour Lynn's if I'm honest but I do. In Lynn's you would get a genuine smile, and maybe if you were willing, a conversation. As long as Lynn's coffee house is there, then people have a place to meet and remain strong in their community. Much like the third world, there is a deep sense of togetherness; there is a social collaboration. However if Costa were to be closed on the high street nobody would even notice.

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Comments:

Comment left by ken pickard on 14th November, 2014 at 10:37
Have you been back to Lynn's then?

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