I bought the London Caffs book yesterday (fantastic - great photos and commentary, good mixture of 'cafe eras'). And it prompted me to look through Classic Cafes again. (Equally brilliant - lovely shots, fascinating points of view). Both make my own efforts look pretty feeble.
But that's not important now.
These books set me thinking that maybe we could all do more than simply document the decline of these places. Maybe we should try and take all this enthusiasm and knowledge and channel it into something like a Cafe Preservation Society.
It's role could be to keep an eye on the great cafes in danger, lobby planning authorities etc. and/or if all else fails; ensure that the atmosphere of the place is recorded and maybe some of the fixtures and fittings preserved for posterity.
Maybe it's something that English Heritage or the National Trust or the 20th Century Society are already doing, but they must have other fish in the air or balls to fry and sometimes you can't do better than get a few like-minded lunatics together to get something done. (You sometimes get the impression that Adrian Maddox is joined in lonely battle on these issues, maybe more of us could offer some help)
I'm going to write to the great cafe luminaries, see what they think, but I'm quite enthused by this idea. I'd love to get something going. What do you all think? Any volunteers? Who's in? Someone want to build a website? etc. etc.
If nothing else we could have some regular outings to cafes, and preserve them through our custom.
Or am I mad? Or is someone already doing this and I should pay more attention to the world around me?
Comments please.
I have no idea whether it's already being done, but count me in.
Posted by: Ivan Pope | October 15, 2004 at 04:18 PM
Great idea. Count me in as well. They are a part of our collective heritage. By the way, did your agency do the new Honda Hate something/Change Something? Its brilliant.
Posted by: Sean | October 21, 2004 at 01:41 PM
Excellent. Glad you're up for the cafe thing. I met with Adrian Maddox of Classic Cafes today. What an interesting bloke. Looks like he might be up for it too (if he can stomach my global capitalist pedigree). All that's required now is working out what 'it' is.
Glad you liked the Honda ad.
Posted by: russell davies | October 22, 2004 at 02:21 PM
It has that hard to put a finger on 'feel good' factor. Well done. Plus TOP CG effects, though a disclaimer that no bunnies were hurt, used, abused, etc.... would have helped.
pps. The Honda voiceover guy has the coolest accent.
ppps. Ian Browan at the Brixton Academy was fantastic.
Good night.
Posted by: sean | October 23, 2004 at 12:47 AM
Hm, the buzz over in Sweden is that old cakes-and-cookies cafés, frequented by grannies rather than their grandchildren. And when the papers write about the new retro-trend, they all refer to a similar thing happening in Britain. Bake-off, takeaway Starbuck clones being abandoned in favour of old cafés.
You should be on to a trend here, then. Are you?
Posted by: Henrik | October 27, 2004 at 01:53 PM