Brand Southwold

Helping Londoners feel at home....

Why is Southwold so successful? Why are other seaside resorts failing? It's certainly not short of a few quid, just look through the estate agent windows lining the high street.  There are very few houses or should that be beach huts under £500,000. How do the locals manage? 

Porsche, BMW and Range Rover are the preferred modes of transport. The Chairman of the Southwold and Reydon Society recently stated in the Daily Telegraph that Range Rovers were hardly ever seen in Southwold....What? Southwold attracts all classes not just the filthy rich, famous and celebrity culture. 


Like swallows heading to warmer climes city dwellers head here in their droves to take up their billets for the pre-requisite two weeks in this seaside resort. Who actually lives in Southwold once all the holiday makers disappear? I have been to Southwold for over 40 years and I've never seen so many properties that have become holiday lets. Many moons ago even the dustbin men owned houses on the green. Ginger was a typical example and local trawler skippers graced the Red Lion keeping a beady eye on the outsiders. Nowadays, the majority of workers travel in from the outlying areas much like those in Korea who travel from the South into the North.


A few months ago the good folk of Southwold got very hot under their ever so well starched collars when the council announced that Costa Coffee was about to set up shop! Anybody would have thought that the Martians had finally arrived based on the not so complimentary feedback. For those of you who have not ventured into the untamed backwaters of Suffolk For many years Southwold has re-buffed any attempt by 'high street' retailers to even make it up the beach let alone up the street. Some such as Fat Face, Co-Op and unbelievably Tesco Express have made it over Gun Hill.

Soon to be replaced by SeaLink

Unlike the majority of seaside destinations Southwold is blessed with so many exclusive brands and an overwhelming range of points of interest including Adnams, The Swan Hotel; a lighthouse; a pier; a putting green; a boating lake; a golf course; a tennis court; a theatre; a cinema; a harbour; numerous pubs; fish and chips; pricey antique shops; numerous coffee shops and restaurants.  

Why should the people of Southwold be so upset by the introduction of Costa. Is it anything to do with the 1,200 stores across our country or the fact that they might attract the wrong type of person to the town? Interestingly, it has nothing to do with quality, ethics, training of baristas and shock horror it has nothing to do with price. It is all to do with the brand and protecting that brand as much as possible. The majority of us like a bit of variety and what could be more boring than having the same group of shops repeated in every shopping centre. Nothing to do with blinkered, snooty opinions. Just good business sense. I have to admit that I didn't step over the Costa threshold to enjoy a Flat White. Nothing to do with my conscience....Costa just isn't my brand.....honest. It will be interesting to see how long Costa will remain in the town. 

For me a good cup of coffee is like a good bar of chocolate and I'm affraid to say there are very few places in Southwold that actually provide a good coffee. Prices and quality of said beverage vary alarmingly. Surprisingly the best cup of coffee is to be found at The Black Dog, Walberswick. Probably the smallest deli in Suffolk. They also sell the cheapest croissants in the area.

However, Southwold is in danger of killing off the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg. Many restaurants in both Walberswick and Southwold are in my opinion are overpriced and provide indifferent levels of service. Well, that's another story. Long live the brand!

Hackney Bureau

Had it not been for Sarah of Food for Think, who writes on numerous subjects including food and travel, the Hackney Bureau, would never have come up on my radar. Blogging certainly opens your eyes and leads you to hidden gems. Especially, if you're prepared to follow in their footsteps.

The Hackney Bureau is a short walk from Bethnal Green tube station, along Cambridge Heath road, located close to the Regent's Canal. 

From the outside you wouldn't even know that there was a restaurant, apart from a few tables and chairs outside. I can't even remember seeing a sign advertising the restaurant. I have to say this is the first time I've actually put my trust in another blogger and stuck with the script, so to speak. 

The run down, 'shabby - shabby' appearance does nothing to entice people into the place but, then they do say don't judge a book by its cover. Appearances can be deceiving and it is safe to say, Alex Polizzi would have a seizure!

Cafe Nero, it is not! The inside decor replicates the outside.  Frankly, it is harsh, with white washed walls and chipboard acceccories which really conflict with my impressions of how a restaurant should look. But, then I'm a probably the oldest person in the place by several decades! Young things are typing away, seriously focused on their laptops, flipping through pages faster than I can flip an omelette and chatting about the next website or house build they're planning.  So, plenty of people doing business but, you wont see any pinstripes in this part of town. 

I borrowed this as my pic was rubbish!

I once met Gwilym Davies in a Shoreditch shoe shop many years ago and he made a brilliant cup of coffee. I think that may have been the first pop up coffee shop? Anyway, I'm rabbiting on! 

Well, our resplendent, mustachioed, antipodean owner of the Hackney Bureau makes a truly delicious Flat White that is on a par with Gwilym. 

We arrived in time for brunch and quickly selected a Big Breakfast, Salmon and Spinach Omelette, cappuccino and flat white for just under £20. Eggs were offered fried or poached and everything was cooked to order. Streaky bacon was crisp, poached eggs were soft and runny, just how I like'em, the mix of carrot, tomato and onion was just delicious. The Salmon and Spinach omelette was also excellent. We were set up for the remainder of the day.

Service was speedy and efficient and if you can get over the standard of the decor you're in for a real treat. A BIG thank you to Sarah at Food for Think. We'll be back for dinner soon!

Start your day with Monmouth Coffee!

Doh! Bankers you've done it again. Off to the naughty step with you! They lose all our money, ask for more, which they get.  They decide to sit on this huge pile of wonga and keep it all to themselves not one penny is given up to the struggling first time buyer or entrepreneur. God forbid!  Next, they work out some fantastic pay rise scheme for themselves, because if they don't get their bonus they'll be off to some tax haven or perhaps America. Well, America, you can have them!  Interest rate fixing is probably just the tip of the iceberg and what will happen to them......nothing. A few red faces in the boardroom and then back to thinking up new ways to swindle us! Daylight robbery...surely it's time to call in the Police? Ok rant over......I need coffee, well Monmouth coffee to be exact.

If you are looking for a place of refuge and a decent cup of coffee in London then why not visit Monmouth in Borough Market.  My picture is slightly deceptive as a few minutes after this picture was taken the queue was backing up to Neals Yard! 

The Monmouth Coffee company roast coffee sourced from single farms, estates and cooperatives. They travel extensively throughout the year, visiting the producers and cooperatives looking for new coffee varieties. Monmouth Coffee started roasting and retailing coffee in 1978 and have a large roasting house on Maltby Street, Bermondsey. Their coffee is sourced from a variety of countries including Costa Rica, Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Guatemala.

There are plenty of enthusiastic staff on hand to assist, even at 8am they're cheerful while the rest of us are in duvet mode. Coffee experts are on hand if you're buying filter coffee for home use. The team are efficient, cheerful and fairly laid back, bohemian style characters with bushy beards, that's the men just in case you're wondering! 

One thing you can guarantee is that they will not ask for your name which made my day.  Starbucks, you've gotta give that idea up. Filter coffee is made to order using the cone system so 'fresh' coffee is guaranteed. Expertly made flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes also available from two beefy barista machines.

Customers are encouraged to share tables and you can enjoy a rustic baguette with self help butter and jam for £3.10 while checking your Facebook status. This system does rely on customer honesty but, there is only so much bread you can eat. Mountains of delicious croissants, danish pastries and chocolate brownies are also available from £2.30 each. My advice is to arrive early, enjoy a coffee and watch the world go by.

There should be a Monmouth on every street corner but I for one am glad they're not! I could have stayed their all day but decided on taking a trip to Leather Lane to enjoy some of the Street Food stalls but that's another story.