I'm going to start to support local community centres.

[Jet Cash]

Costa has just increase the cost of a black Americano ( aren't they all black? ) to £3.09, and it's produced through a compression machine. My local community centre has  filtered coffee for just £1.50, and I understand this is healthier than coffee produced via compression. The beans are also provided by a local supplier. Also, I prefer the taste of the filtered coffee. Costa is owned by Coca-Cola, and I'm cautious about their political and environmental policies.

There is some downsides, and some upsides to the community centre though. Opening hours are just 10am to 2pm, but that is just for the cafe, the centre is open for far longer, and well into the evening. Parking is free and unrestricted, whereas Costa is limited to 3 hours at most of their cafes. Scrambled egg on toast is £2.50, but is not available in Costa, most of their stuff seems to be unhealthy, sugary pastries, and other healthier snacks are available at the centre. Tables are small and lined along the side of the central corridor, and only two table have a single power socket. Costa has numerous twin sockets with USB ports. The Wifi works in the community centre, but it either doesn't work, or is difficult to enable at Costa. Both venues are extremely clean and bright, with the exception of one of the Costa cafes in the centre of the town

I've started this thread to encourage people to switch away from the large corporate organisation, and to support small local businesses and community services. You don't get the same range of flavoured coffees that you would find in Costa, but many of those are unhealthy, and you could create them with some products bought from the local supermarket.

[franky1]

Costa has just increase the cost of a black Americano ( aren't they all black? ) to £3.09, and it's produced through a compression machine. My local community centre has  filtered coffee for just £1.50,

if you truly want to support the local community. donate to them the extra £1.59 difference too. so that you still pay £3.09 but know the money is going to be used locally and supporting community activities rather than coca-cola HQ profits

remember at ~£12/h min wage, someone taking 10mins to prep your coffee, wipe down the table after your visit and then washing your used cup. is about £2 alone.. which adding in the ingredients of the coffee, the price and maintenance of the coffee machines, the facility lease, business rates.. your simple £1.50 coffee wont cover. so do truly support them by giving more then the cost of your visit, especially if you are also using their electric to charge you powerbanks, devices, and using their wifi..

[Fiatless]

I've started this thread to encourage people to switch away from the large corporate organisation, and to support small local businesses and community services. You don't get the same range of flavoured coffees that you would find in Costa, but many of those are unhealthy, and you could create them with some products bought from the local supermarket.

One of the advantages of patronising local businesses is access to the owners. You can easily complain to the business owners about the product and service and it will be acted upon within a short period. Complaints or suggestions to big corporations go through bureaucratic processes which results in slow decision-making.

I recently complained to our local bread producers about the high quantity of sugar and the change was implemented. But it would have taken months for a big bakery company to consider my observation. I support patronising local ventures.     

[Jet Cash]

I've only got two complaints about the community centre. One is loud music as there is a tea dance going on in the rood next to me. Well I won't get anywhere with that, so I might have to get some sound deadening head phones. Those would help to drown out screaming kids and dogs barking in Costa as well. The other one is the uncomfortable chairs. They are hard plastic cafeteria style, so I might have to bring in a cushion.

It's very clean, and I like the coffee, so I'm not sure what I would complain about. I think it is owned by the council, but the cafe manager is one of those large jolly me, and he seems to be very helpful.; Buttered toast seems to be a bit expensive - it is £1.75 for two slices. I can never understand why they charge so much for a couple of slices of bread, but all the cafes seem to do it.

[franky1]

I've only got two complaints about the community centre. One is loud music as there is a tea dance going on in the rood next to me. Well I won't get anywhere with that, so I might have to get some sound deadening head phones. Those would help to drown out screaming kids and dogs barking in Costa as well. The other one is the uncomfortable chairs. They are hard plastic cafeteria style, so I might have to bring in a cushion.

It's very clean, and I like the coffee, so I'm not sure what I would complain about. I think it is owned by the council, but the cafe manager is one of those large jolly me, and he seems to be very helpful.; Buttered toast seems to be a bit expensive - it is £1.75 for two slices. I can never understand why they charge so much for a couple of slices of bread, but all the cafes seem to do it.

a spoonful of coffee bean dust + drop of milk does not cost £1.50. its the prep work, lease, labour, cleanup costs, electric, internet
a slice of toast does not cost £1.75. its the prep work, lease, labour, cleanup costs, electric, internet

your not paying just for the coffee or toast, your mainly paying for the plate and cup, and the building your sitting in

paying only £1.50-£1.75 for items but then disappointed that they dont buy expensive quality chairs nor have cushions.. seriously JC get real

[DeathAngel]

Good for you, Jet Cash. We should always try to support local small businesses & organisations rather than fill the already bloated pockets of large corps. The little people need the money far more than those huge institutions. And if you think it tastes better from the local community centre then it’s a win in all ways.

[Jet Cash]

They closed the cafe for a while whilst they refitted it. The community centre does a lot for local people. There is a kids play area, and a regular meeting for mothers and toddlers. Chair gymnastics for the partially disabled is another weekly meeting. Then there is the tea dance, and an evening dance meeting, together with Tai Chi classes. It's sponsored by the council, but I suspect it is self sufficient as a result of various low charges for the facilities. We could do with more centres like these. Especially the kids football club, which teaches team spirit as well as providing good exercise.

[franky1]

jetcash is not supporting his local centre as basic maths/economics shows this, he just wants to be preaching goodwill whilst leaching.. hoping his attempts of promoting them offsets his desire to save a few quid a day

£1.50 coffee wont even cover the costs of 8 minutes labour for the centre(prepping, cleaning, maintaining), let alone the electric he uses whilst there, he knows his coffee visit is subsidised by local council, but pretends HE is the one supporting them

again if he truly wanted to support them knowing a coffee is £3 in costa, he would pay £3 in community centre to cover discounted coffee and a donation to support community activities, after all £1.50 doesnt even cover the dishwashing nor table/chair wipedown, let alone the other costs to facilitate him

[Jet Cash]

Well that is interesting. I've just discovered that Barclays bank provide a banking facility on three days per week in the community centre. They have no cash facilities, but other than that, they provide support for banking accounts/ Maybe this will be the future of banking for elderly bank customers with no Internet capability.

Maybe I should start a Bitcoin service for local residents on one day per week.

[Dunamisx]

I've started this thread to encourage people to switch away from the large corporate organisation, and to support small local businesses and community services. You don't get the same range of flavoured coffees that you would find in Costa, but many of those are unhealthy, and you could create them with some products bought from the local supermarket.

It is high time we all start to think the same way and more positively, because things are fast changing and we can't afford being in the same spot for too long, same applies to doing things as well, we have to adopt new approaches to help realize the needed changes in every aspect of the economy and what we can produce and be profitable in all, I also support the growth of small scale businesses to advance.

[Jet Cash]

The facilities at this community centre are unbelievable, I've just discovered that they have a n association with a dental charity. As an 83 year old vanlifer, I am eligible for completely free NHS dental care, The downside is that I can't get an appointment for a check until November, and the guy was apologetic about that. I believe that It would take longer to get one via the normal NHS service. These services are provided by an association between the local council and some charities. It has nothing to do with the national government. I think it is being funded by parking fines - I've had 2 in the last week.

[Joy_learns_crypto]

The facilities at this community centre are unbelievable, I've just discovered that they have a n association with a dental charity. As an 83 year old vanlifer, I am eligible for completely free NHS dental care, The downside is that I can't get an appointment for a check until November, and the guy was apologetic about that. I believe that It would take longer to get one via the normal NHS service. These services are provided by an association between the local council and some charities. It has nothing to do with the national government. I think it is being funded by parking fines - I've had 2 in the last week.

Looks like the parking fine is being put to good use . Knowing this one won’t be too mad when they get those parking tickets although I believe it can be annoying for many.
The NHS service that was established to be used when people’s health demands it is giving you a date when you will be able to get it is a very big downsides but if that is better than the NHS service by the national government then it a shame. Taking care of our health is essential because the government health care scheme are unreliable.

[Dunamisx]

The facilities at this community centre are unbelievable, I've just discovered that they have a n association with a dental charity. As an 83 year old vanlifer, I am eligible for completely free NHS dental care, The downside is that I can't get an appointment for a check until November, and the guy was apologetic about that. I believe that It would take longer to get one via the normal NHS service. These services are provided by an association between the local council and some charities. It has nothing to do with the national government. I think it is being funded by parking fines - I've had 2 in the last week.

Now I've got more ideas on why some use to leave some of the government initiated programs for a private one, because the protocols there may be unfavorable by them, not even to talk on when there are urgent and emergency case, these local facilities could serve right because they lack the adequate funding for the standard needed, while the government controlled facilities may not be suitable for us because of the stated reasons, which i see a need to also join in contributing, supporting and join in seeing the local businesses and private establishments thrive to the normal and advance standard required.

[Jet Cash]

The NHS in the UK is massively overfunded. However, the money is spent on a toop heavy administration,  Allopathic drugs that don't cure anything, and most are prescribed to counter the side effects of other useless drugs.Fake pandemic pseudo-vaccines, and rental of assets such as hospitals that were donated by wealthy benefactors in the past, and have been sold to the bankers and globalist investors.  Most doctors are no longer doctors, and the hippocratic oath has been replaced by the hypocritic oath.
I don't use the NHS unless it is essential for my heath. For example, they are great for resetting broken bones, as long as you avoid taking their drugs. Natural dental care using methods such as oil pulling and sugar avoidance are best, but sometimes you need to have fillings or cracked teeth fixed. The last three times I had tooth problems, I pulled them out myself, but I reckon I need to save the ones I have left. I used to have a friend who only had one tooth left. I called it his central eating. That is a true statement, and not a joke. His problem was adding sugar to everything.

[Dunamisx]

The NHS in the UK is massively overfunded. However, the money is spent on a toop heavy administration,  Allopathic drugs that don't cure anything, and most are prescribed to counter the side effects of other useless drugs.Fake pandemic pseudo-vaccines, and rental of assets such as hospitals that were donated by wealthy benefactors in the past, and have been sold to the bankers and globalist investors.  Most doctors are no longer doctors, and the hippocratic oath has been replaced by the hypocritic oath.

Things have gone wrong to an extent that we cant confide in these government medical facilities, because there are other advantages that they are getting which most of us don't even know than the services we see them render, if we know the level of how things re getting more complicated and being at stake, we would have preferred any other alternative like natural remedies than going to a medical hospital.

I don't use the NHS unless it is essential for my heath. For example, they are great for resetting broken bones, as long as you avoid taking their drugs. Natural dental care using methods such as oil pulling and sugar avoidance are best, but sometimes you need to have fillings or cracked teeth fixed. The last three times I had tooth problems, I pulled them out myself, but I reckon I need to save the ones I have left. I used to have a friend who only had one tooth left. I called it his central eating. That is a true statement, and not a joke. His problem was adding sugar to everything.

I only pray that one don't have any reason of using or visiting any of these, while as for those already affected, wish them quick recovery never to have any means of going back there, the experience is never good to write about.

[franky1]

The NHS in the UK is massively overfunded. However, the money is spent on a toop heavy administration,  

i wouldnt say overfunded, id say the NHS budget is highly mis-managed/wasted.

Allopathic drugs that don't cure anything, and most are prescribed to counter the side effects of other useless drugs.

there are many pharmaceuticals that do cure things, but the list of possible illnesses is huge, vs the list that are curable are small.. yes with most available pharmaceuticals they just manage/lessen the degree of problems caused by symptoms of an illness or side effects of other drugs

Most doctors are no longer doctors, and the hippocratic oath has been replaced by the hypocritic oath.

i know you are trying to do a satirical wordplay of similar words but you have been binge watching too much US social media propaganda too.. the UK doesnt have a "Hippocratic oath" they have a "Geneva declaration" which is not binding, however a registration with the GMC is binding and a requirement needed to then be employed to practice medicine/diagnoses/treatment of patients. however many doctors still ignore the intentions/standards required of professional standards in regards with how doctors handle/manage/treat patients