Local independent cafes and coffee shops

[TheTecknician]

Do you have one of these that you frequent or at least try to visit as often as you can? I admit to being something of a Costa fan on account of their loyalty scheme and having three stores within walking distance or just a few minutes drive. However, I've started to visit again (after about two years) a small but quite smart and cosy cafe on my local high street. They do full breakfasts and lunchtime snacks and open two nights a week for homemade pizza - BYOB. I've yet to try this as it's a new direction for the owners but it seems to be popular. There's another two places just yards away that operate a similar business model with bistro nights but I think they're licensed. Again, I've yet to visit but it's great that they have become established and successful.

They are the only coffee shops I go in. There is so much choice in the 2 main towns I frequent that there is never a reason to go to Costa/Starbucks/Cafe Nero etc

Can't remember the last time I went into a national coffee shop , always use independents.
Probably only use them along the motorways and haven't been on one in months and can't remember if stopped.

There are no chain restaurants or coffee shops in my town (population c. 9,000 I think) but plenty of choice within independent businesses. I only very rarely go to coffee chains if I'm in a shopping centre or airport.

There’s an excellent independent at the top of my road which is always busy. The coffee is far better than the chains and they make panini & sandwiches on site rather than having mass-produced ones.

On principle I will never patronise a Costa/Starbucks/Nero - I always look for an independent coffee shop

I might use the big chains in a large city centre but in smaller towns and villages I'd always look for an independent coffee shop. We're lucky we have a number locally and I actively buoycott using the Costa coffee!

I always choose independents - lucky to live somewhere where there are lots of them. Teen DD does drag me into Starbucks every so often though!

There aren't any small indie ones in our town. Sad times.

Where I live there is only an independent coffee shop. However when I’m in the city I’m usually going for a coffee at weird times and the local ones are not open so I end up at Costa or Starbucks.

Always independent tea shop unless at airport!

I work in a field based job so I do use the chains for reliable WiFi and consistency if I'm somewhere I'm not familiar with. Locally my preference is a small not for profit coffee shop that does great food and excellent coffee - me and DS go there on a weekend for breakfast as they have board games so is perfect for us

We have a wealth of lovely independents in our area that I visit regularly. I will however admit to being a Caffè Nero fan as well though since they’re typically the only coffee option after 4pm - the only decent chain!

I always use independent coffee shops as they tend to be cleaner (Costa is unspeakably filthy the few times I've gone in) and the coffee is way better in indie cafes. I used to love Pret but they have been terrible too, the last few times I've been in..

I'm same as previous poster in that on principle I don't go to Costa, Starbucks or Neo. Neo was the only one with coffee I quite liked, but even then their shops are dirty and unkempt and just not cosy.

We have a nice independent coffee shop near us but it is considerably more expensive than Costa, which is saying something! It's always full, though, so people can't mind paying (fairly naice area of NW London).
There's another nearby that does nice coffee but their customer service is dreadful, they're so rude, but I did see they've opened a second branch a few miles up the road (in an ever naicer area of N London) so they can't be doing too badly.
Neither offer any type of loyalty scheme which is a shame!

All cafes and tea shops in my town welcome dogs, both the independents and the chains. I dislike dogs and am not willing to spend money to share a space with one. Dogs on chairs and sofas, staff petting them and not washing hands, dogs wandering around, have all put me off in the past.

My two closest friends agree, we meet in our homes which is far preferable. Good tea and coffee, delicious homemade cakes, comfortable sofas. No cafe is going to be better than that, and it is far cheaper too.

We only have independents in my town (other than Morrisons petrol station having a Costa machine) and they could really do with a chain for competition. It's painfully slow trying to get a takeaway coffee - let alone 2 - that I generally don't bother.

I often think that if there was a Starbucks, they'd up their game...

Yes i support local independents over chains all the time.

I always like to support the independents. The only time I’ll go into a Starbucks or Nero is if I fancy a Mint Milkshake or a Chai Tea Latte (which isn’t often).

Thanks all. The independent I've started going to again charges much the same for hot drinks as Costa. Their cappuccino is a little more flavourful and hotter than Costa (whose prices, incidentally, vary considerably from branch to branch). Dogs also allowed which wouldn't suit a lot of folk but I don't mind as long as they're quiet and don't fight with each other! There was a beautifully behaved Show Cocker Spaniel in a local Costa this morning.

I have another local cafe closer to home which is fairly new and quickly fills up. The snag is the unpredictable opening hours!

We have a number of really good independents or small local chains near us. (4 independents and 2 local chains) I don’t go into the big chains if I can avoid it.

My village has a few and I go several times a week to work (they welcome that) or just to unwind after work. I feel the cafes really have made the place vibrant.

I only use local artisan cafe/coffee shops cannot be doing with the overpriced mainstream ones.

I only use chains at train stations, there are lots of excellent independents near me.

We have a policy of independent cafes and coffee shops, unless there is no other option than a chain, but if the chain is Costa or Starbucks, then we do without!