Topic ID 3855
popped in yesterday, brilliant as usual and it was great to see it so busy whilst the chain next door was virtually empty.Good on Hertford for continuing to support independant business
Reply ID 55784
Indeed... great coffee .. great service and half the price of Starbucks.
Reply ID 55786
I don't like their coffee but my husband does so we alternate between there and Starbucks (shock!) which was busy when we visited the chain yesterday.
Reply ID 55793
serendipity is indeed a great cafe, but half the price? i think not, maybe for coffee, but anything else and the price soon jumps up - it's not cheap! but then the food is good, so i wouldnt say it was unfairly priced either.
Reply ID 55799
quote:Serendipity's coffee is £1.95 for small and £2.95 for large. Starbucks is £2.05 for tall, £2.40 for grande and I'm not sure about Vente but I know it is less then £2.95.
Originally posted by codek2
serendipity is indeed a great cafe, but half the price? i think not, maybe for coffee, but anything else and the price soon jumps up - it's not cheap! but then the food is good, so i wouldnt say it was unfairly priced either.
Reply ID 55800
quote:Vente? [img]http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/lachen/laughing-smiley-014.gif[/img] Is that a marketing man's invention or does it actually translate from something? Maybe it derives from 'ventosa' - the Italian for sucker.
Originally posted by Willow I'm not sure about Vente
Reply ID 55804
quote:[:D]
Originally posted by Leo Densianquote:Vente? [img]http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/lachen/laughing-smiley-014.gif[/img] Is that a marketing man's invention or does it actually translate from something? Maybe it derives from 'ventosa' - the Italian for sucker.
Originally posted by Willow I'm not sure about Vente
Reply ID 55806
quote:Yes, I observed that too. Warms the cockles! And Willow, You and your husband should be put in the stocks! [:D]
Originally posted by northern lass
popped in yesterday, brilliant as usual and it was great to see it so busy whilst the chain next door was virtually empty.Good on Hertford for continuing to support independant business
Reply ID 55817
quote:Blimey - must be good coffee [:)]
Originally posted by dennismoore
Yes, I observed that too. Warms the cockles!
Reply ID 56007
quote:Friday 3:05pm Starbucks - 4 customers Serendipity - 10 customers
Originally posted by Stevequote:I always make a point of checking whenever I go past and Serendipity are almost always busier than Starbucks (Sorry, O/T)
Originally posted by thefair1973
I think everyone on this forum started out wuith that view. They must be the only people in Hertford who don't go to Starbucks then, as it's always busy when I go.
Reply ID 56008
quote:And long may this continue......
Originally posted by Stevequote:Friday 3:05pm Starbucks - 4 customers Serendipity - 10 customers
Originally posted by Stevequote:I always make a point of checking whenever I go past and Serendipity are almost always busier than Starbucks (Sorry, O/T)
Originally posted by thefair1973
I think everyone on this forum started out wuith that view. They must be the only people in Hertford who don't go to Starbucks then, as it's always busy when I go.
Reply ID 56015
This morning (9.30am 18/10/08) Starbucks 6 Seredip 1 (me) had slow service 3 girls chatting about their night out, and a warmish Latte. Prices for sandwiches seem a bit steep at £4 so got one from waitrose. Must improve!
Reply ID 56016
I don't think I've ever had a 'hot' drink from Serendipity, which is why we no longer go. You're kept waiting for an eternity and when your food & drink turns up, it's never worth the wait. Don't get me wrong, Starbucks are no different as their sandwiches are rubbish and massively overpriced, but at least you get what you ordered in a reasonable amount of time.
Reply ID 56026
Have always had reasonably service here and love looking at the bits and pieces on the shelves whilst waiting [:D]. Braughing sausages aswell !
Reply ID 56033
Went to Starbucks yesterday and we just managed to bag the last table - going to Serendipity today so will report back later. Yes we are latteholics ;o)
Reply ID 56488
quote:Eh!? Slow service, average wholesale coffee, and dearer than starbucks. I'm all for local businesses but sometimes I think people knock chains regardless of the facts or general opinion.
Originally posted by azzza
Indeed... great coffee .. great service and half the price of Starbucks.
Reply ID 56507
We were in town on Saturday lunchtime and Starbucks was rammed. Serendipity was full inside (although that's about 2 tables) and had one family outside.
Reply ID 56522
I always go to Serendipity to support local business, but we always have to wait ages and the tables are always filthy, sticky to the touch. The Cadbury's Caramel Milkshakes are killer though!
Reply ID 59155
Some kind of protest outside there to lend support I hear today. Anyone know more?
Reply ID 59158
quote:A friend of ours writes Please can I alert you all to Starbucks latest attempt to try to force the Council to give Planning Permission for the unit it is occupying without authorisation next to Serendipity opposite Waitrose. This Saturday is Farmers Market so there should be plenty of people in town.(Thus the protest) Starbucks are occupying A3 premises (restaurant - former Waterside restaurant - Unit 6), and a small A1 unit (former travel agent - Unit 8) opposite Waitrose. Starbucks knew that Serendipity (Unit 10) had applied to use the former travel agent (Unit 8) to extend but were refused, even though customers petititioned the council to change their decision. Starbucks went ahead, without planning permission to use Unit 8 next to Serendipity as a cafe, and in due course were refused planning permission. Despite this, Starbucks opened nearly 12 months ago and East Herts Council voted to 'enforce' their decision. Starbucks response to the enforcement notice was an Appeal to the Planning Inspectorate - their Appeal is due to be held on 10 February at Wallfields at 10am. Starbucks recently put in a 'revised' application which is remarkably similar to the one that was turned down 12 months ago - the main difference is their reference to a decision made by the Planning Inspector to give A1/A3 approval on Appeal to Caffe Nero in Bishops Stortford. Caffe Nero and Starbucks both play the game of pretending not to be cafes because instead of preparing or cooking fresh food on the premises they have daily deliveries from distant factories for their prepackaged food. This does not and should not make them 'retail' and the Inspector made the point in Bishops Stortford that his decision there did not and should not create a precedent. 1 Starbucks do not need all the floor space - they do not use their upstairs despite the superb river views - Starbucks are always greedy for frontage but even without the old travel agent they already have 4 times as much frontage as Serendipity. Their strategy across the country is to destroy local independent competition by paying consultants and lawyers experienced in helping them flout local democratic plans and regulations. 2 From Hertford ECO perspective we should point out that bringing in prepackaged food is not good for the sustainability of the town and local producers and the transport and energy are contrary to East Herts Council's Policy (SD1) on sustainable development: 'sustainable use of water, land, energy, materials and waste....create a flourishing and healthy local economy'. 3 Our planners should not give in to pressure - Starbucks latest application appears to be tactical because if their Appeal is unsuccessful and their application is also unsuccessful they can then appeal again against the refusal of their latest application. 4 Starbucks are hypocritical - here's an excerpt from the principles they claim to follow ' 'Every store is part of a community, and we take our responsibility to be good neighbours seriously. We want to be invited in wherever we do business. We can be a force for positive action— bringing together our partners, customers, and the community to contribute every day. Now we see that our responsibility—and our potential for good—is even larger. The world is looking to Starbucks to set the new standard'.
Originally posted by dennismoore
Some kind of protest outside there to lend support I hear today. Anyone know more?
Reply ID 59169
Please can you advise how we can add our voice to the protest? Is there an email address we can use?
Reply ID 59179
The planning application is here... [url="http://e-services.eastherts.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=3/08/2069/FP&backURL=<a%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=131875>Search%20Criteria</a>%20>%20<a%20href='wphappsearchres.displayResultsURL?ResultID=281129%26StartIndex=1%26SortOrder=APNID:asc%26DispResultsAs=WPHAPPSEARCHRES%26BackURL=<a%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=131875>Search%20Criteria</a>'>Search%20Results</a>"]3/08/2069/FP[/url] You can email your comments to planning(at)eastherts.gov.uk. The deadline is 21st January 2009.
Reply ID 59180
Please post in the Starbucks thread. This thread is about Serendipity [:)]
Reply ID 59188
We went to Serendipity yesterday & it took half an hour for my little boy's cheese on toast to arrive. The staff are very friendly but the service is just too slow
Reply ID 59194
The service is far to slow if you ask me. If they could sort that out and somehow get things running quicker then it would be a superb cafe.
Reply ID 59196
quote:Regrettably we had exactly the same problem with our order for cheese on toast. Since one is asked to pay before the order is served, I had to go up to the counter and ask for my money back amid protests that it was just on its way. Tough. We had shopping to do and just wanted a quick snack for lunch.
Originally posted by Willow
We went to Serendipity yesterday & it took half an hour for my little boy's cheese on toast to arrive. The staff are very friendly but the service is just too slow
Reply ID 59197
quote:"You're a naughty boy Basil, don't do it again", springs to mind. [:)]
Originally posted by Admin
Please post in the Starbucks thread. This thread is about Serendipity [:)]
Reply ID 59198
food is average and service is RUBBISH. i'd prefer the Sailsbury, good service, food and staff are nice too.
Reply ID 59199
we used their private function catering for our daughter's christening tea and can not praise them highly enough...different to actually sitting in the cafe I know but I wanted to make the point that apparent poor organisational skills do not leak into all that Serendipity offers [:)]
Reply ID 59201
quote:Thats apples and oranges! Comparing a pub to a cafe! You can't get a Rolo milkshake in the salisbury!
Originally posted by teddylad
food is average and service is RUBBISH. i'd prefer the Sailsbury, good service, food and staff are nice too.
Reply ID 59202
i can get a lot of what Serendipity offer in the Salisbury and everything i want is offered there, so i see the Salisbury as a competitor to Serendipity
Reply ID 59203
quote:That's a bit too harsh. The food is generally (in my experience) of the quality I would expect from that sort of establishment and at that price level. In the past, the service has been friendly and of the 'old fashioned' pace - comfortable. But half an hour for cheese on toast when the place was only half full is not acceptable.[:(] My wife thought that some of the staff may have been new or 'Sunday only' but that's not really a good enough excuse. I still desperately want to support Serendipity but they need to be a bit sharper than this if they want to keep trade in the current environment.
Originally posted by teddylad
food is average and service is RUBBISH. i'd prefer the Sailsbury, good service, food and staff are nice too.
Reply ID 59205
What a wierd comparison teddylad - lots of things in Serendipity are really nice but I can't get a pint and watch the footy there. Try ordering a strawberry shake in the Salisbury next time you're in!
Reply ID 59207
Popped in here over the weekend and had a coffee and cake with the little uns after a visit to the park. They love it and I always end up buying something I don't need from the display [:)] Hope it carrys on getting the trade it needs as I enjoy using it after a trip to the park.
Reply ID 59215
can i buy sandwiches, cakes, breakfast, tea, coffee in the Salisbury, yes. i can also buy all of these in Serendipity. I chose to buy them in the Salisbury as service and quality are a lot lot better. You don't have to sell exactly the same items to be a competitor. Obviously there is high demand for milkshakes, maybe someone should open a milkshake shop - I'm sure I've seen something about this on here before.
Reply ID 59220
I took Mrs Muddy for a coffee & cake in Serendipity yesterday & it was great coffee & lovely cake, as it usually is. The speed of the service is variable, yesterday it was quick because it was just before closing time, but if it's slow, it doesn't bother me - it's worth the wait.
Reply ID 59273
Agreed to a certain extent Muddy but if you've ordered an orange juice and cheese sarnie you don't expect to wait 30mins for it. I like Serendipity but the long waits do frustrate me at times.
Reply ID 59553
Went to Serendipity on Sunday, service much improved despite being busy. Had two roast dinners and stuff for the kids, with drinks 15 minutes overall. I love the place.
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