... ask MNers to boycott Starbucks?

[legoballoon]

Personally, I won't be spending any money there again.

When I read the 'we pay our fair share of tax' statement, I almost choked on my (home made) hot chocolate. It's one law for the rich, another for us now is it?!

I think we should support small, UK-based independent coffee shops. Let's support businesses that generate wealth that is shared by local people.

[Sparklingbrook]

Subway is just sandwiches really isn't it? Do you need a foot of bread-really? And what is the awful smell?

[SchrodingersMew]

But it's coming up to gingerbread latte time and I don't have gingerbread syrup.

[Shaky]

X posted with loads of people, sorry

[EntWife]

not to piss on anyones parade but most Starbucks are run by individuals who have bought the franchise from the franchiser, who is actually the one who doesn't pay tax in the UK. very few are centrally run. the franchisee buys their beans and other merchandise from the
franchiser or an associated
company. the individual shops almost certainly do pay tax in the UK and are run as small businesses.

[Peachy]

The local Subway is inside our Tesco

Subway does good salads though

[WorraLiberty]

Madge before you get all finger pointy, you do realise that Nestle also make that cider flavoured breast milk lube I sent you through the post last week?

[Peachy]

It's corporation tax we are talking about isn't it? As opposed to all tax?

[Sparklingbrook]

Our local Costa is inside Tesco Peachy.

[MrsKeithRichards]

I always take the hearty Italian and have visions of a well rounded ruddy cheeked elderly Italian man holding his tummy and laughing.

[MrsRhettButler]

Ok, I'll switch to costa but I can't do tesco or amazon. (One step at a time )

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

"not to piss on anyones parade but most Starbucks are run by individuals who have bought the franchise from the franchiser, who is actually the one who doesn't pay tax in the UK. very few are centrally run. the franchisee buys their beans and other merchandise from the franchiser or an associated company. the individual shops almost certainly do pay tax in the UK and are run as small businesses."

Completely wrong, from start to finish.

They are a megacorp taking all their money back to the US via Nazi-tax-shelter-istan. No 'small business' at all, and not a franchise.

www.starbucks.com/customer-service/faqs/business

Others, e.g., McDonalds do franchise: www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/Aboutus/Franchising.html

[MrsRhettButler]

Oh I can't do natwest, they're the only bank that will have me

[XBenedict]

I think Costa is a franchise too.

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

"It's corporation tax we are talking about isn't it? As opposed to all tax?"

Corporation tax is like income tax.

So if I say 'I do pay tax, look I paid VAT on this yacht I bought, and my nanny pays income tax, see I am paying tax, I just don't pay any income tax', that would be quite similar.

[imperialstateknickers]

Happy to boycott Starbucks. Have tried both UK and Canada. Pile of poo.
Also have yet to have a decent sandwich in Subway. Have tried three different ones, still no joy. Thank God for Greggs.

Love a good boycott me.

[LineRunner]

Yes and the parent companies make a fortune out of the franchisees. Which they should be paying UK tax on.

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

Yes, seems so XBenedict: www.costa-business.co.uk/costa-coffee-shops/

So the Costa franchisees would pay corporation tax AS WELL as Costa themselves.

Unlike Starfucks, who don't pay any at all.

[ScrambledSmegsEvilTwin]

It's a very well-known arrangement with HMRC that lots of big businesses have. Starbucks aren't the only ones. It's really the fault of HMRC for not sorting out the Corporation Tax issues surrounding companies like Starbucks. Of course now it's being reported as Starbucks ripping off the poor ickle UK, instead of HMRC being the incompetent shower of fuckwits that they are.

However YANBU because Starbucks coffee is rank. Not as bad as Costa (burnt beans, yuck), but worse than Nero who are the only chain that can make a half-decent cappucino - only half decent mind. Support independent chains, please!

[PropertyNightmare]

I started a thread about this earlier today. Yes, I am disgusted at Starbucks. Taking 1.2 billion from the UK economy between 2009 to date and laying not one penny income/corporation tax. Dh and I won't ever give them our custom again. I hope that every single one of their shops is empty tomorrow.

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

[XBenedict]

I will be sticking with Costa!

[CuttedUpPear]

Boycotted them since day one.

[StuntGirl]

There used to be an amazing independent coffee shop where I used to live, don't know if it's still there.

Round here there aren't any independent coffee shops, a few dodgy cheapo cafes and a few uber posh expensive cafes but that's it :(

[MrsRhettButler]

To save all this talk about burnt beans and whatnot, if someone could point me in the direction of where to buy hazelnut syrup I would happily make my own and take a flask.

[imperialstateknickers]

Re Caffe Nero, they've got a nasty habit of opening up without planning permission. They've done it here, and in three other market towns within a twenty five mile radius. They keep going for the 'whoops, sorry, here's our retrospective application' excuse/method. Meanwhile we're stuck with 29 places to buy a coffee and nowhere that sells children's knickers. xx Harassed of scenically attractive tourist trap town.