Something brewing

The sight at the old Painted House – complete with hand-painted sign. But what is it going to be? A microbrewery? A craft beer shop? A cafe? (To be honest that just about exhausts the possibilities, assuming it’s not going to sell bears.)

The answer comes from long time reader Nick, who writes that it’s a… wait for it…. coffee shop.

“I saw them painting the sign yesterday and I looked them up today. All there was online was them advertising for staff. It looks like it might be truly independent. I have to say I was bit disappointed because when I saw the name I thought it might be a bottle shop, but I suppose we have Wanstead Tap for that (even though it clearly is not in Wanstead). The prize for best coffee now goes to More Italy in my view but if these guys have some interesting alternative brews and can offer some other activities in addition then fair enough. I guess coffee is one of the most profitable things one can sell, hence the proliferation of coffee shops.”

The Bare Brew website is worth a look – this looks like it’s going to be a cool place – and hopefully will help the Snaresbrook end of the High Street which has struggled to get people passing by. It’s also great that another empty property has been filled – so Wansteadium heartily wishes Bare Brew well.

A post shared by Bare Brew (@barebrew) on

Comments welcome. But a QI buzzer to anyone who uses the words “How many coffee shops do we need?”

In other news, the TO LET sign which was hanging above Starbucks has now been removed. Does this mean Starbucks is staying put?

And in other other news, the new Turkish barber (in the former Closet/Nicole’s shop) has clearly had second thoughts about its garish red sign. It’s been replaced with a black and silver number. (Pedants will note that even this sign doesn’t quite fit with planning guidelines since it has internal lighting, but seeing as Redbridge doesn’t seem to enforce this rule, the barber is probably all set.)

13 thoughts on “Something brewing”

  3. I suppose another coffee shop is better than an empty unit – but how can the High Street sustain another? How much coffee do you want to drink???

  6. Yet again every story should just have Supply and Demand written under it to answer around 90% of the comments and save us from this tedium.

    1. But it’s not entirely as simple as “supply and demand” though is it? The repetition of type of business also arises from the fact that rents for shop space on this high street are so high that this creates a situation where only certain types of businesses can afford to be there, which in turn creates a very limited array of types of business, and no financial room for other businesses to have a chance at providing something different without sinking under, not always because there was little demand but because if the rents were not so high, even a lesser demand could have met the bills.

      1. Sorry but everything you say shows supply and demand dominates.

        There is not enough demand to spend enough money in shops that have failed on the high street. I do not mean people didn’t want them, nor that they didn’t sue them. But simply not enough money was spent in them.

        The reason the rents are high is that coffee shops generate enough income to afford them and other shops can’t. That’s because the demand for coffee shops is higher than the rest that have gone. Yes, it is great to have shops like the Orange Tree. I miss it. I am sure many people popped in to buy the odd bit. But a shop like that needs people to buy big ticket items daily (£200+). It cannot survive with people popping in every other weekend and spending the occasional £30. They will simply not make enough money to compete.

        However a coffee shop that makes on average £6 per cover (coffee and occasional cake for example) when there’s 20 people in at any one time from the moment they open until them moment they close 7 days a week. They will make massively more money as that is the demand by Wanstead High St visitors. As they are making so much money from their demand they can afford higher rents. Reality is that the landlords don’t set the rents, it is supply and demand figure by the businesses that are thriving.

        Does it limit the offering on the high street? Yes. But the customers get the high street we create. Pretty much all the money spent at the weekend is the food shops, cafes and restaurants. During the week add to that beauty. It’s know as Instant Demand shopping and the successful high streets are full of it. People don’t buy clothes or homewares from an area that has 2 shops to choose from, they go to a shopping centre where there are 30. The don’t buy a fridge from the high street any more, it’s bought cheaper on line. So what we’re left with is things that people need at that moment and can’t wait – last minute food, coffee, restaurants, hair dressers etc. There are some that do and I miss the opportunity to do so, but there simply wasn’t enough of a demand to spend enough money to sustain it.

        These business are then creating the demand for rent and the landlords price according to the supply and demand of the businesses in the area.

        Again, I’m not saying it is ideal but there is nothing other than supply and demand in all of this, including the increasing rents.

  7. I’m sorry but *seriously” — “How many coffee shops do we need?” IS a completely legitimate comment to the news that we are getting yet another one.

    Completely legitimate response. Because…..HOW MANY DO we need? It’s ridiculous at this point, but you apparently can’t accept that this is a fair opinion many of us hold. I’d rather see something radical done to reduce the sky high rents these business owners have to pay, so that shops of other kinds can afford to get a shot at being on the high street.

    1. How many do we NEED? The High Street doesn’t actually need *any* coffee shops really, when you think about it. It’s quite possible to make cups of tea or coffee at home.

      But there’s lots of them, because people like using them – and they must make money.

      This one looks like a different offering to the others to be fair, and a nice design. Good luck Team Bare Brew!

  8. Be great if they roasted their own beans. There’s no better smell outside in the street than that. Anything other than that old sign and white out window!

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