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INDEPENDENT COFFEE SHOPS in Dublin city could soon be offered more public leases after two local councillors called out the increasing dominance of larger, chain café businesses being awarded rental agreements.
Management at Dublin City Council last night said it would look at the possibility of issuing targeted adverts for café sites it owns so that small and independent business owners have a better opportunity to win rental contracts.
It came after Sinn Féin councillor Anthony Connaghan and independent councillor Vincent Jackson highlighted last night that chain cafés have frequently been awarded contracts for the sites, despite councillors previously voting to support local businesses.
Both councillors also asked if it was at all possible for smaller businesses to compete for leases without having to go through an extensive procurement process. They argued it would make it simpler and easier for independent vendors to compete.
Dublin City Council own and lease a number of coffee cabins and allocated café spaces around the parks and sports grounds in the city.
Businesses must first respond to an expression of interest, or an advert, outlining their desire to lease the site from the council. Respondents that have proven track records at other locations and the relevant staff training and qualifications are often granted leases.
In return for the use of the site, a cheap, at-cost rent is charged by the council which will often cover services such as cleaning the on-site lavatories and general maintenance. Elected councillors get an opportunity to accept, and later extend, the lease of the site.
A vote was held last night to grant a three-year lease to The Tram Café Ltd, a chain of Irish coffee shops with seven existing locations in the Dublin city area, for a café space located in Johnstown Park in Glasnevin, Dublin 9.
Every councillor agreed to grant the contract to the café chain, for which the council will receive at least €24,500 for the lease. An optional two-year extension is included in the contract, costing an additional €18,000, at the discretion of another vote at a later date.
Before the contract was agreed, Sinn Féin’s Finglas councillor Anthony Connaghan and independent councillor for Ballyfermot Vincent Jackson asked if it would be possible for the council to make it easier for independent vendors to get contracts.
“I don’t have an issue with granting the licence here,” Connaghan said, explaining that it has taken “several years” for the council to find a tenant for the site. He said, however, that councillors have previously voted to support local and community businesses.
“From my own experience, the last few tenders for coffee units seem to have gone to bigger, established groups [...] it’s hard for a local business to compete with them,” he added.
Connaghan asked if the council could issue an advertisement that targeted and welcomed bids from smaller, independent coffee shops to host their business at the council-owned sites.
He also asked if it would be possible if the current procurement process – the method in which the rental contract is awarded to businesses – was made simpler for independent operators.
Jackson echoed Connaghan’s question, adding that he has assisted in operating services on council-owned spaces with community groups in the past and found that it is often the case that the local authority receives “a tiny amount of money” for the sites.
He argued that the low-cost associated with renting the site from Dublin City Council should be all the more reason for the executive to award the rental agreements to small, independent cafés.
“I think, going forward, there are opportunities for us to assist young people in developing career prospects across the board – in our communities across the city,” he said.
“Community groups don’t have the capacity that the big players have. And, an awful lot of the time, charging people €4 – €4.50 for a cup of tea or a cup of coffee puts it beyond what we’re trying to do in our parks and our open spaces.”
Responding to both questions, assistant chief executive of Dublin City Council Anthony Flynn claimed that the council has previously issued advertisements that have promoted local businesses to apply for public sites with “limited success”.
“Maybe it’s time that we do it again,” Flynn said. “We’ve no issue, in the context of the development department, considering, where appropriate, an expression of interest and promoting local enterprise.”
He said awarding contracts to independent businesses fits into the management’s existing policies and various local development and enterprise plans. He added that he was of the view that it would also support local training and employment.
“We’ve no issue with going out again and having a look at that, where appropriate,” he said.
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All the large chains just serve mass produced muck anyway.
Costa coffee is shiiiiiiiiiiiiiite
@Foscam Dl: Big employer tho.
@Foscam Dl: even thier tea is piss
If you like your coffee it’s a no brainer to go to the independents. Some of them would really surprise you with the efforts they put in sourcing blends.
I would question how many of the indépendants are actively expanding or have the revenue to increase locations. Larger companies would have better access to capital better ability to expand than the small companies. Larger companies are about scale so more venues = more sales = more money.
But overall, coffee shops are a dime a dozen. We already have too many..
@Ciaran: not where I live w e don’t. But you do get , I don’t know what to call them really, shops that sell teas and coffee and it’s worse than piss. But I’m all for coffee shops that sell the real thing
I don’t get the obsession with coffee, it’s kind of like the way I feel sorry for people who drink alcohol
@Meatball Martin: No coffee or alcohol. Explains why you are a bor ing dry Sh ite interest troll.
@Meatball Martin: Thanks for that amazing insight Martin.
@Ger Whelan: hmm, I just don’t think either are necessary
@Ger Whelan: you need alcohol to not be boring dry shjte? , sad.
The problem isn’t large chain stores, it’s the very strict zoning laws which Dublin City Council enforces against small businesses which keep them down. If we abolished single-use zoning throughout the city centre and allowed multi-use zoning for independent coffee shops and other similar businesses, it would allow them to build underneath apartments that they don’t own without having to go through a tedious planning permission regulatory process. In any case, I’m sick of the Dublin City Council and other people blaming coffee chains for the problems that independent stores face. Companies like Starbucks and Costa offer good-quality coffee at a reasonable price. If they didn’t, people like myself wouldn’t keep going back and buying coffee off them.
@Frank O’Hara: “Costa Coffee” and “reasonable price” are not words I would put in the same sentence.
@Frank O’Hara: people without taste buds have been around for years Frank. You accept awful because you don’t know any better. You probably go to McDonald’s for a happy meal on your birthday
@Frank O’Hara: you must have tasted starbucks, its tastes like the burnt rinds that they sweep up after making the real coffee. Absolutely dirt.
@Bennett blaster: Ah Bennett, resorting to the immediate ad hominem attacks because you don’t want to engage in an honest discussion about what the problems are that face independent coffeeshops. I don’t “accept awful”, I choose to go to Starbucks because they always give me a high standard of coffee which is very good value. I have been to many different coffeeshops, both small and big. Starbucks has never given me a coffee that hasn’t tasted nice so if you’re offended by that, kiss my ass buddy.
@James Brennan: I personally think it’s delicious James. It’s also very good value. No one is forcing you to go buy your coffee there so no need to make such a fuss about it. Apart from a place called Hatch Coffee which is about 10 minutes from where I live, I always just get my coffee in Starbucks.
@Sal Paradise: I guess we will agree to disagree. I personally consider Costa’ menu to be reasonable and relatively cheap for the product that you are getting. They also have a very good selection of different types of coffee drinks that you can order.
@Frank O’Hara: very high standard of coffee for good value in Starbucks? That’s one of the least good for value coffee in the world.
Starbucks sells the worst shi-e and in a bucket.
@Dave G Doe: The reality is that standards are lower here, Irish people don’t like ‘quality’ the majority prefer service station tar (more ‘honest’ or some bs) Same of everything in Irish society. High speed train? Too posh, be laughed at through missing teeth
Why just coffee chains ? We import any and all crap and replace our own indigenous businesses.
@Pork Hunt: Most of the independent Irish coffee shops close at 15.30. Try getting a coffee other than take away or multi national after that time. Profits must be great!
Best news
Isn’t it great to see the councils are on the ball with such important and life threatening issues such as coffee shops ..
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