Coffee Cellar's Demise?
Anne has pointed out something worrying about the Coffee Cellar:
"I went past today and its no longer there - theres plastic sheeting in the windows and it seems my favourite little piece of Greenwich has gone! Its been shut for the last 2 weeks - the weekend before that the guy who runs it was telling me he was going to have to go into hospital and I'm a bit worried and thought you might know!"
The Phantom replies:
To my great shame, I've hardly been around for the past few weeks and I've clearly been taking my eye off the ball. Rumours have been abounding about the poor guy's health for some time. I had hoped he was getting better. I'm sorry to hear this. Perhaps he's finally retired. I will miss the place.
I guess it's possible it's just being spruced up - but in a way that would sadden me even more. What I love about this place is its shabby, atmospheric 1960s/70s interior, with that fantastic orange mosaic cubby hole at the back and the hip, funky gloom the place exudes. It's a place to cocoon yourself, on a rainy day, when your boyfriend's gone off with your best mate and the dancette's at the mender's. A place to pore over Lambretta maintance manuals with the lads or giggle with your girlfriends about Twiggy's new haircut.
To lose that atmosphere would be to lose something fundamental about the very coffee itself, let alone the cafe. After all, we can buy coffee anywhere (though decent coffee is somewhat harder to find.) What I really love is finding somewhere that gives me that extra something - that je ne sais quoi that feeds the soul as well as the body. If the Coffee Cellar's gone, it will be a sad day indeed.
"I went past today and its no longer there - theres plastic sheeting in the windows and it seems my favourite little piece of Greenwich has gone! Its been shut for the last 2 weeks - the weekend before that the guy who runs it was telling me he was going to have to go into hospital and I'm a bit worried and thought you might know!"
The Phantom replies:
To my great shame, I've hardly been around for the past few weeks and I've clearly been taking my eye off the ball. Rumours have been abounding about the poor guy's health for some time. I had hoped he was getting better. I'm sorry to hear this. Perhaps he's finally retired. I will miss the place.
I guess it's possible it's just being spruced up - but in a way that would sadden me even more. What I love about this place is its shabby, atmospheric 1960s/70s interior, with that fantastic orange mosaic cubby hole at the back and the hip, funky gloom the place exudes. It's a place to cocoon yourself, on a rainy day, when your boyfriend's gone off with your best mate and the dancette's at the mender's. A place to pore over Lambretta maintance manuals with the lads or giggle with your girlfriends about Twiggy's new haircut.
To lose that atmosphere would be to lose something fundamental about the very coffee itself, let alone the cafe. After all, we can buy coffee anywhere (though decent coffee is somewhat harder to find.) What I really love is finding somewhere that gives me that extra something - that je ne sais quoi that feeds the soul as well as the body. If the Coffee Cellar's gone, it will be a sad day indeed.
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
09:27
12 Comments:
We don't know the details but apparently the owner was quite ill before the shop closed.
The ex-manager - Farouk - has gone home to Egypt.
The chap recently looking after it said it was almost as a favour to the hospital foundation.
So do you have any idea what will happen to it, SoC?
No - only that presumably it won't/can't be 'Franked'...
It's a great spot for some other business, real shame the coffee shop's gone though.
Hope they have the confidence/cool to keep that mosaic bit at the back. Granted they'd NEED to have big shoulders to carry something so bold, but it COULD be made to work by someone with flair.
It's part of the JOY shop, but was run independently. My understanding is that the guy running it got behind with the rent (probably due to his ill-health), and now the owners-JOY- have taken it back over. Not sure what the future holds.
Well, for a chain, they're quite funky, I guess. Here's hoping they have the courage to keep that retro feel (and the great coffee...)
So, is the 'Best Coffee in Greenwich ' title vacant again?
My vote goes to the new coffee bar in the old Flying Duck shop. They also have a unit on the Village Market at the back. Superb coffee on every time!
I went into the old Flying Duck place a few weeks ago, but the coffee shop wasn't ready yet. I had a nice chat with the people there though, and I've been meaning to go back ever since. You've spurred me on, Badgeman...
The coffee chaps in the ex-Flying Duck are extremely nice. I'm not convinced about the 'best coffee' claim and speed clearly isn't an ambition, but the wait is worthwhile just for a nice chat.
I'm a big fan of the coffee from the guys at the back of the Village Market. I buy my ground coffee there. Apparently they roast their own, so it's only ever been hanging around for a day or two. The only disappointment for me is that they don't have more space at the new location: I was hoping for a second "Royal Teas"!
Thanks for everyones updates on what's happening with the Coffee Cellar. I for one am very sad to see it go - it was such a nice place to visit for a spicy hot choc after a good stomp around the park. And they did nice cakes too!
I will have to check out the cafe in the Flying Duck now - I passed it the other day but it was empty and I felt a bit odd going in..lol
Thanks GP for all your help about this!
Anne
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