Why are coffee shops so popular?
A coffee shop phenomenon has swept Britain’s high streets, and coffee is now Britain’s number one hot drink.
There’s no denying that the British, once a nation of tea drinkers, have passionately embraced coffee and coffee shops. Coffee bars in Britain and the sector are booming.
Posh coffee may once have seemed frighteningly expensive, but many of us now see it as an affordable luxury; and for others it is practically one of life’s necessities. Coffee shops seem to have a truly universal appeal; they have captured the hearts of men, women and even children from all social classes.
A plethora of coffee shops joined the coffee gold rush in the mid ‘90s including Costa, Caffè Nero and Coffee Republic; then finally Starbucks arrived in 1998.
The coffee shop isn’t just a safe and friendly venue for drinking coffee. In our increasingly flexible world it can be a workplace as well. Most coffee shops now have numerous power sockets available. Where once the intrepid laptop user might scout around looking for a conveniently placed power socket whilst pretending to nonchalantly admire the décor, now many cafés positively advertise the fact that power outlets adorn their skirting boards. WIFI means that not only can we sit with our laptops and work; we can also access emails and operate almost as efficiently as if we were at work or at home.
More and more employers now recognise the need for their employees to work from locations other than a traditional office. In a coffee shop we can conduct informal business meetings, plug into the mains, connect with the WIFI, get down to work and enjoy a decent cup of coffee in the meantime.
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