Latest news with #BlankStreetCoffee
The National
4 days ago
- Business
- The National
Byres Road cafe owners fear soul of street lost to coffee chains
It comes as the Blank Street Coffee chain opened up on the popular shopping street – despite planning permission being refused. Blank Street joins the likes of Pret-A-Manger, Black Sheep Coffee and Starbucks, which are all sandwiched between small businesses. The four big corporate chains are located in the most accessible part of Byres Road – closest to Hillhead Subway station. READ MORE: Glasgow Film Theatre board members resign after Israeli boycott decision At newly established Level 11 Coffee Hub and Café Swiss, which has been open for nearly a decade, senior staff are worried. Yasmin, the Café Swiss manager, was taken aback by the sight of coffee chain cups on Byres Road. 'I'm quite surprised how many people I've seen with it,' Yasmin said. She spoke of the team's relationships with regular customers and added: 'I think that's actually what's kept us going for so long. 'You're never going to get that kind of connection with someone in a big chain.' Meanwhile, Café Swiss barista Noah shared that during a break he had counted 23 chain labelled cups outside in a 10-minute period. Yousef, the co-owner of Level 11, went on: 'I am part of that community that actually go and support small businesses. 'We get a lot of our customers that come here just for that reason. 'The first time, we show them who we are and what we offer, and the effort we put into our product. 'I know my support and another person's support, is actually going to support the business.' Yousef expressed concern over how some chains have removed the social element of a coffee shop, introducing screens to take orders rather than members of staff. 'They've got the screens, there's basically no socialising,' he said. 'The best part of being here is socialising.'
The National
09-05-2025
- Business
- The National
US chain opens new Scottish venue despite planning rejection
Blank Street Coffee opened its second Glasgow premises, on the corner of Byres Road and Ruthven Street in the city's west end, earlier this week, despite council planners turning down an application last month. Enforcement officers at Glasgow City Council are aware of the situation and the company could be forced to close the coffee shop if found to be open without the required approval. But a spokesperson for the chain said it is currently operating 'under the previous tenant's use' — which differs from the use requested in its recent planning application. READ MORE: All jobs lost and students in limbo after Scottish arts college collapses suddenly The unit was previously home to a Greggs store and Blank Street has kept its grey exterior, rather than the green it had proposed to the council. It is possible the venue could serve customers under the existing class 1A use, which can allow the sale of cold food. The application rejected last month was to change the Byres Road premises to class 3 use, which is for the sale of food or drink for consumption on the premises. That use would be needed to sell hot food. In a statement, the company said: 'As with all its stores, Blank Street has planning and necessary permissions for the intended use of the Byres Road store in Glasgow. 'Blank Street is rightfully operating under the previous tenant's use, and we look forward to welcoming customers in the coming weeks and months.' The venue appears to be selling drinks, such as coffee and matcha, as well as pastries and cookies. Customers have been queuing out the door to try it. Applicants have a three-month period in which to appeal against a decision to refuse permission. An appeal would go before councillors on the city's planning review committee for consideration. It is unlikely any enforcement action would be taken until an appeal is rejected or the three months have passed, it is understood. READ MORE: Campervan bays at Scottish beauty spot 'to be binned after it's used as toilet' Planners refused the application as they said a change to class 3 use would 'result in 44.4% of the units within the street block in non-class 1A' use, which would 'erode the retail character' of the area to 'the detriment of its vitality and viability'. Officials also said the firm had not demonstrated the property had been 'appropriately marketed' for class 1A use for a minimum of 12 months, and that the marketing had been 'unsuccessful'. They believed extract vents below neighbouring flats would 'adversely affect the wellbeing and amenity of the residents' on the upper floors of the tenements. The rejection letter added the proposal failed to 'provide an active frontage to Ruthven Street'. A proposal to install an illuminated sign was also rejected. Blank Street Coffee opened its first Glasgow venue on Gordon Street in the city centre last month.
Glasgow Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Blank Street opens second Glasgow café despite planning refusal
The US chain opened the doors to its new café at 259 Byres Road this week, at the corner of Ruthven Street, in a unit previously occupied by Greggs. However, the opening comes despite the fact the company was refused planning permission for the site on April 14. READ NEXT: Plans for US coffee chain's West End location refused (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) The Glasgow Times previously reported two proposals were submitted to Glasgow City Council; one to change the unit from a shop (class 1a) to a café (class 3) with frontage alterations and another for illuminated and non-illuminated signage. However, the plans were refused with a letter from the council saying proposals to change the use of the unit were rejected as they were not considered to "be in accordance with the Development Plan and there were not material considerations which outweighed the proposal's variance with the Development Plan". It also said the proposal would result in 44.4% of units withing the street block not being shops which "would erode the retail character of Partick/ Byres Road Major Town Centre". READ NEXT: I had a first look inside Glasgow's Blank Street Coffee - I tried their famous matcha (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) Referring to the signage they wrote: "There should be no signage located below fascia level." Friends of Glasgow West, a voluntary group that aims to preserve the character of the West End, objected to the plans saying proposals for alterations should "respect the period, style and architectural character of the building". The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland also submitted a comment which said they would like to see the original stone cornice of the building restored to view and have all signage restricted to the original fascia. Pictures taken today (May 6) show a long queue of people lined up outside the café, which has not been painted in the brand's signature matcha green colour. (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) One local said they were "fuming" to see the business had opened up despite planning being refused. They told the Glasgow Times: "I think it's ridiculous that they've just barged into the area. "I love all of the independent coffee shops and this is just another chain that's trying to take over. "It's completely out of order that they've opened despite being denied planning permission - it's absolutely brass necked!" (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest) Planning proposals said it would have indoor and outdoor seating areas, but at present there only appears to be a small amount of tables inside. Its understood the business is still within its three month planning appeal period. Blank Street Coffee opened its first Glasgow location on Gordon Street on Saturday, April 26. The brand was founded in Brooklyn in 2020 and has gone viral online for drinks such as their blueberry matcha. Blank Street Coffee has been contacted for comment.
Glasgow Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow's Wilson Street to close for filming next month
Preparation, filming and clear-up for the eight-part series will take place in and around Wilson Street from Tuesday, April 29 until Saturday, May 10. In a post shared on Facebook by Merchant City and Trongate Community Council, they revealed filming is scheduled to take place until 5.30am and 5am respectively on Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3. Filming will take place on Wilson Street on Tuesday, May 6 from 3pm to 1am. READ NEXT: I had a first look inside Glasgow's Blank Street Coffee - I tried their famous matcha The street will be closed between Brunswick Street and Candleriggs with six parking bays to be closed off. Car clearance measures are expected to be implemented if needed. On May 7 and 8, interior filming will take place from the early afternoon until around 12.30-1am in a penthouse flat near Cranberry's café. Vehicles related to the filming will be parked on Candleriggs Square throughout with around 80 crew expected to be working on the series. READ NEXT: This Glasgow postcode is just receiving Christmas cards amid Royal Mail delays Last month the BBC revealed casting information for Mint, a "darkly comic and unconventional drama" about a crime family's inner drama. The series is created, written and directed by Charlotte Regan, the acclaimed filmmaker behind award-winning movie Scrapper. It will star Emma Laird, Sam Riley, Laura Fraser, Lewis Gribben and Lindsay Duncan.
Glasgow Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Blank Street Coffee's first Glasgow café opens this weekend
The cult brand will open its doors on Gordon Street at 6.30am on Saturday, bringing their viral matcha and coffee drinks to the city. The dog-friendly café will be opening with their newly launched spring menu available which features strawberry shortcake and rhubarb and custard matchas. They join their already popular flavoured matchas such as blueberry and white chocolate, and coffees such as their shaken brown sugar cold brew and pistachio lattes. READ NEXT: Plans for Blank Street Coffee's second Glasgow café refused Blank Street Coffee, Gordon Street (Image: Blank Street Coffee) Blank Street was founded in Brooklyn in August 2020 with a coffee cart located in the garden of a diner before expanding and coming across the pond with an opening in London in 2022. Their Edinburgh café opened earlier this year. Ignacio Llado, co-founder at Blank Street, said: "We couldn't be more excited to bring Blank Street to our second Scottish city, following the overwhelming response to our arrival in the capital of Edinburgh. "At Blank Street we believe that life is about finding joy in the everyday, and we can't wait to continue this with our new Glasgow opening." As well as selling a wide variety of drinks and pastries, the new outlet will be selling Blank Street Coffee merchandise such as t-shirts and tote bags. READ NEXT: Cult-favourite Glasgow sandwich spot to join city's new food hub (Image: Blank Street Coffee) At an event ahead of their opening on Wednesday, my friend and I decided to try the blueberry and strawberry shortcake matchas which would not only be our first time trying Blank Street but our first time trying matcha. Matcha is a finely ground powder of green tea and we had both been told it is an acquired taste which can have a 'grassy' flavour so we were keen to try it with some additional flavour and sweetness. First, I tried the blueberry matcha, and I was honestly shocked by how much I enjoyed this. The taste of the matcha came through very lightly but overall it tasted like a blueberry milkshake. (Image: Blank Street Coffee) I didn't find the blueberry flavour too sweet and I would go back to treat myself to one of these again. The strawberry shortcake flavour was even more sweet and had a really nice biscuity flavour with the strawberry. I could taste the matcha even less in this one but think I would struggle to finish a full one of these due to the sweetness. Their croissants were huge but deliciously light and flaky while we also both thought their raspberry and white chocolate cookie was really tasty. Blank Street Coffee is located at 42 Gordon Street and will open at 6.30am on Saturday, April 26.
