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Leeds Station - Coffee Upgrades?

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johntea

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At Leeds station this morning I couldn't help noticing there was a large 'box' erected around Starbucks on the upper platform bridge, then I noticed Upper Crust is also closed for refurbishment.

So only 998 places to get a coffee in the station now, but wonder what they're doing to the Starbucks bit?!
 
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61653 HTAFC

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At Leeds station this morning I couldn't help noticing there was a large 'box' erected around Starbucks on the upper platform bridge, then I noticed Upper Crust is also closed for refurbishment.

So only 998 places to get a coffee in the station now, but wonder what they're doing to the Starbucks bit?!
Hope they're not getting rid, that one is far more convenient if changing than having to fight through the barriers and go to the one in the 1930s Concourse. Staff much friendlier on the bridge too.
 

marcouk2

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Might be unrelated but the Starbucks at Sheffield Station by platform 3/4 is being replaced by a Costa.
SSP changing franchises maybe? (presuming they are all SSP).
 

xotGD

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Hope they're not getting rid, that one is far more convenient if changing than having to fight through the barriers and go to the one in the 1930s Concourse. Staff much friendlier on the bridge too.
Why join the stupidly long queue at Starbucks when much nicer coffee is available from the next door kiosk at Delice de France? And you get 10% off with a Bite card. And they don't ask for your name.
 

Iskra

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Might be unrelated but the Starbucks at Sheffield Station by platform 3/4 is being replaced by a Costa.
SSP changing franchises maybe? (presuming they are all SSP).

The SSP Starbucks is being replaced by a Costa/Whitbread-owned Costa in Sheffield station. Hopefully the Leeds Starbucks is going the same way :)
 

StoneRoad

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Oh, I hope not, I find Costa coffee far, far too bitter.
I want a cup of coffee that I can drink, from a ceramic cup/mug, not a fashion statement from a nonbiodegradable piece of rubbish.
 

mjn

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The filter coffee is the best part of Starbucks. Much better than the Americano from Costa IMO.
 

marcouk2

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They're busy disassembling it now, working late. Could it be a Costa by the morning? :D

View media item 3075Photo shows 4 workmen busy disassembling a Starbucks retail unit at Leeds Station.
 

peri

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Isn't Leeds one of the cheapest stations for food and drink?
Boots £1 sandwiches, Pret a manger 99p filter coffee, Subway £1.60-£1.80, Wetherspoons under £2.
 

CaptainHaddock

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Talking of Leeds concourse retail outlets, I also noticed this morning that the "other" WH Smiths just opposite Sainsburys has closed down. Makes sense, I suppose; I was never quite sure why they needed two branches within the same location!
 

rich r

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The small WHSmith closed a few weeks ago. That means that it's all food and drink outlets on that side now. Maybe the plan is to put another food place in, but hopefully something that doesn't directly compete with the existing McDonalds, Starbucks, KFC, Pret or Subway? Certainly the queues at lunchtime can be large on all of them so there's certainly demand.

Editted to add: This lunchtime KFC is closed. Maybe they have designs on expanding into the vacant unit?
 
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61653 HTAFC

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Isn't Leeds one of the cheapest stations for food and drink?
Boots £1 sandwiches, Pret a manger 99p filter coffee, Subway £1.60-£1.80, Wetherspoons under £2.
Certainly better than those places with WHS/Pumpkin and "that's yer lot" (Darlington, I'm looking at you!)...

The loss of Starbucks on the bridge is a shame for anyone who is just interchanging though. I'll pay over the odds for the occasional indulgent Starbucks drink if I've a 40 minute connection, but I won't do that for a Costa.
 

johntea

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KFC was in the process of being boarded up this evening, if they expand maybe they’ll have a joint KFC/Taco Bell.

The White Rose pub also has planning permission up all over the place for a variation of licensing change, looks like they’re going to rebrand as The Beer House (quite why anyone wants to drink in there is another matter!)
 

xotGD

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Certainly better than those places with WHS/Pumpkin and "that's yer lot" (Darlington, I'm looking at you!)...

The loss of Starbucks on the bridge is a shame for anyone who is just interchanging though. I'll pay over the odds for the occasional indulgent Starbucks drink if I've a 40 minute connection, but I won't do that for a Costa.
You mean you actually like Starbucks coffee? You don't find it the worst on the market?

Still surrounded by hoardings this evening, btw.
 

61653 HTAFC

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You mean you actually like Starbucks coffee? You don't find it the worst on the market?

Still surrounded by hoardings this evening, btw.
I occasionally treat myself to a Spiced Chai Latte, which of course isn't coffee but it is (a) the only thing Starbucks gets right, and (b) something only Starbucks gets right.

If I am having actual coffee from a chain, McDonald's is first-choice for both taste and value.

Costa is absolutely rank, so if I'm changing at Leeds in future the barriers will be a little bit busier!
 

BantamMenace

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I occasionally treat myself to a Spiced Chai Latte, which of course isn't coffee but it is (a) the only thing Starbucks gets right, and (b) something only Starbucks gets right.

If I am having actual coffee from a chain, McDonald's is first-choice for both taste and value.

Costa is absolutely rank, so if I'm changing at Leeds in future the barriers will be a little bit busier!

Greggs and McDonalds coffee would beat Starbucks, Costa and CafeNero in a blind taste test. For what its worth my rankings are Greggs, McDonalds, Cafe Nero, Starbucks, Costa. (Lattes, not Americanos)
 

DarloRich

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You mean you actually like Starbucks coffee? You don't find it the worst on the market?

I hope it is a Costa as i can't drink Starbucks coffee. Bitter. Like a horrible instant. Also tax dodgers.

Certainly better than those places with WHS/Pumpkin and "that's yer lot" (Darlington, I'm looking at you!)...

there is a decent bakers just outside the station on Victoria Road. it is called the bank Top Bakery. You keep paying for your over priced butties and brews. I will go there ;)
 

Clip

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there is a decent bakers just outside the station on Victoria Road. it is called the bank Top Bakery. You keep paying for your over priced butties and brews. I will go there ;)


Is that by Hogans or by the main car entrance road?
 

bearhugger

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Good call on the bakers. I will give that a go next time I'm in Darlo. (Just checked on Google Maps to see where it is - handy for calling in to Hogans for a pint too!)
 

infobleep

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KFC was in the process of being boarded up this evening, if they expand maybe they’ll have a joint KFC/Taco Bell.

The White Rose pub also has planning permission up all over the place for a variation of licensing change, looks like they’re going to rebrand as The Beer House (quite why anyone wants to drink in there is another matter!)
Perhaps they ran out of chicken!
 

Bantamzen

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Perhaps they ran out of chicken!

What the White Rose......?? ;)

Seriously though, it could do with a rebrand. I only use it occasionally because they do (quietly) still accept Bite Cards, and there isn't a queue 50 deep of people wanting a super skinny latte or whatever when all you want is a pint as is often the case in 'Spoons. Either that or there are 10 staff moving boxes around in the back with only 2 on the bar serving the dozens of people waiting...
 

xotGD

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This morning at Leeds the Delice de France was double staffed to cope with the surge in demand from ex-Starbucks customers. Hopefully these customers have now discovered what coffee ought to taste like. I can't tell what is being built in place of Starbucks.
 

johntea

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KFC is open again but with 'wooden doors' instead of glass so not quite sure what they're up to there, didn't look like they had knocked anything through to next door anyway
 
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