Noooooooo! Not Patisserie Valerie!

[tectonicplates]

"Patisserie Valerie on brink of collapse" - www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45824285]

According to the article they also own Baker & Spice and the Flour Power bakery, neither of which I realised before.

Stupid comment Angelil. What about the staff who work there? Keep your obnoxious, twattish glee to yourself do.

I've been to the one in Chiswick High Road, it's nice but there is SO much competition from other eateries. Café Rouge was another one - so much potential but absolutely mediocre. Such a shame.

Well that's hope they stop flogging their brunch and afternoon tea vouchers on Groupon.

I have all sympathy as the PV founder is a massive Leaver. Just desserts, buddy

Glee at other people’s misfortune is pretty unpleasant, especially when it’s the 2500 staff members who will most likely be hit hardest when they lose their jobs.

Horrid.

Their croissants are revolting

Reading around it looks like it could be due to some dodgy happenings.

I went to the Cambridge one once. Note: once.

V disappointing.

BIL still talks about a full fried breakfast he had there once. Was the worst meal of his life.

All style, no substance. Luxury prices for supermarket cafe standards.

Its a shame for the people who will lose their jobs but I won't miss it. The cakes are dire!

I agree that the cakes are pretty but flavourless, it’s all for. And no substance. I haven’t been there in over 15 years and assumed only tourists frequented them these days - like Aberdeen Angus Steak Houses, I have lived in London all my life and have never eaten in one of those and I don’t know anyone who has. How do they keep going?

Shame for the people that will lose jobs, but companies don't seem to learn that if service and quality go down, so will sales.

One in my home town is always busy... with people waiting to be served! 40 minutes for a tea and a scone? Nah, you're alright, i'll go elsewhere.

I went to one in London a few months ago for some breakfast and it was shit - dirty, disinterested staff, a rubbish cup of tea and a stale cinnamon pastry that tasted of nothing.

I've been to one (in Bristol, last year) while shopping with the dds, thinking it would be a treat. The cakes were SO DRY and SO EXPENSIVE. Never went back.

Shame for the people that will lose jobs, but companies don't seem to learn that if service and quality go down, so will sales.

If you read the actual article you would see that the reason for the much needed cash injection is:

The stark statement to investors comes after the firm uncovered "significant, and potentially fraudulent, accounting irregularities".

They've been advertising deals for months on Groupon (or similar) for half price afternoon teas and brunches - often a sign when a big national chain starts doing that that all is not well in the finance department.

their cafes are always filthy, they seem to employ inexperienced staff who don't really know about clearing away tables and wiping down, their cakes look beautiful, but taste of air, and they charge an absolute fortune.

Totally agree with this.

Obviously, I don't want to see anyone lose their job and I hope that the chain doesn't go bust, but I do think PatVal has been a victim of its own success - in addition to whatever might be going on with their accounting issues.

10 years ago, their cakes were amazing - proper French patisseries and they were lush. However, once they expanded, they clearly got a supplier of some kind because the quality of the cakes deteriorated and instead of great old school service, it wall went a bit big chain, we don't give a shit.

If they get a reprieve, then I hope they can turn it round and provide better cakes and service again.

Grim decor and nasty cakes. Waited for years for one to open near me and it was awful.
So disappointed.

i used to love the Old Compton St one and would go there whenever i was in London. But then did they expand and get bought out by eg venture capital? Suddenly it's expansion/profit and staff turnover and another high street chain.

We had terrible service on a family outing in there--had to wait ages for a simple cake and tea order and then when it came all the items were wrong (ie different from what we ordered). The waiters didn't seem to know anything and frequently just stood around looking in the opposite direction when customers were waiting to be served. Once they served me a savoury veg dish that tasted only of vinegar. It was inedible. I think they just don't get it!

That’ll be more fenced off empty space in my local Debenhams, then.

The first floor had a Patisserie Valerie, a Costa and an American diner concession. The diner closed but then reopened under a different name, then closed again for good. If the Patisserie Valerie closes too, then it’s going to be bad news for the store.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Debenhams rely a lot on renting out their floor space, and will be in trouble themselves soon.

“We offer gluten/dairy/egg free!” Then you go in and they gleefully offer you a shitty square of allergen-free brown cardboard

^ this in an era when most places make an effort and gf doesn't need to just be a chocolate brownie anymore.

I saw something yesterday about the Finance Director, must be a pretty massive hole in the accounts to threaten the company. We eat at a PV occasionally and have had nice food there.

With you angelli
Plus they tried to charge me for tap water.
They are overpriced and pretending to be European as well.

PV is one of the most disappointing food outlets around. Looks amazing but tastes of very little.

Not remotely surprised.

I feel sorry for their suppliers who will also be owed money. HMRC are always paid first when creditors are owed money.

They aren't going under because of anything sales related, HMRC are doing some digging, shares have been suspended and their finance director has been suspended. I don't know how these things normally pan out? Court appearances? Jail terms?