record number of coffee shops arrggghhh!!!

[mrsfuzzy]

don't get me wrong , i love a coffee as much as the next coffee lover but where i live, we have 17 coffee shops, it's got that bad that even 2 mobile phone shops have closed down and become, you guessed it, more bloody coffee shops. don't know how true it is but i heard that when the moon is colonised the first 3 building are going to be for mobile phone , mc donalds and costa!

In my town there is a Costa, Nero and a Starbucks and about four independent coffee shops.

There is also a ridiculous number of nail bars.

To be honest I'd rather have coffee shops than the betting shops my local town is besieged by. A small market town and we have 14, yes 14, betting shops within a five minute walk. The town is a Horseracing town, but still it is ridiculous!

Erm...

Why is a coffee shop worse than a shop shop?

It's just a place that people go to...

Yes, but a lot of them are large impersonal chains taking over from small independent coffee shops and tea rooms.
It's the same with most things though I suppose. Tescos and Sainsbury's putting family grocers out of business; Waterstones crowding out smaller quirkier bookshops etc.

we have loads to and lots and lots of barbers

I hate them so much

I don't drink coffee

And they always mess up my tea.
And you always come out smelling of coffee/food
Makes me feel ill

Is the future of the high street, bookies (in lower income areas) mobile shops, coffee shops, £1/99p stores and charity shops?

Add in shoe shops, Dad, and we're already there.

That's right Dad. I've never shopped online. Don't ever intend to. Always liked going to the shops. But now that the High Street is Primark quality all-round, I just don't buy anything. If I'm paying, I want something good.
I think it's the reason that services, like nail bars & coffee shops, are thriving. Because folk want that small retail hit, but are unwilling / unable to spend on bad clothes & over-priced tat.
At the other end of the scale, designer clothes / accessories are deemed to be worth their price & are increasing in popularity. I think the middle market High Street will be wiped out...

'All other shopping will eventually move online'

Not so sure - having just read the current Yodel and MyHermes threads!

But perhaps there's a business plan in being a coffee-purveying collection point.

We have stacks of coffee shops where I live and every time a new one opens everyone moans about there being too many. And yet at this time of year you will find it hard to find a table for 4 on a Saturday. We have loads of coffee shops because there is a market for it. I blame 'Friends' nobody went to coffee shops before Ross, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Rachel and Monica decided that it was cool.

I should add that I love coffee shops. I was brought up going to our towns only coffee shop once a week.