I’ll have a flat white please mate
Imagine a world without coffee: somehow even more stressed and bad tempered than the real one.
We took to Brick Lane to ask creatives and professionals about their weekly coffee budgets.
Barnaby, Insurance and Ophelia, graduate
Barnaby: “Where I work the coffee is free – but it’s Starbucks coffee and I’m not a huge fan of it. I actually still spend tons of money on it, probably around £25 a week.”
Ophelia: “I’m spending about £4 a day on it. So what’s that? £20 a week? I’m spending too much basically.”
Ignus, Artist
“I live in Oslo for most of the year. It’s fair to say most things are more expensive in Norway, including coffee. I don’t have a machine in my studio so I have to go out and get it. Week to week I spend something like £15.”
Em, Filmmaker and Writer
“Gosh, I must spend at least £20 a week. It’s not something I think about. It’s so easy to buy coffee without thinking about it or adding up the cost of it. I first started drinking coffee when I was 15, at the same time I started smoking – the two have quite an intimate relationship.”
Basha, Chef
“I work in a restaurant, so the coffee is always free. But when I’m at home I make sure to go out and get it – the coffee you can get in Dalston, from places like Betty’s and Allpress is simply fabulous.”
Michalak, Graphic Designer
“Coffee. Well, I used to drink it. I’ve had my phases drinking it and from time to time I go back to it. But now I only drink tea because it does taste better. I only just moved here from France but people tell me it’s not unusual to just drink tea.”
Sahar and Madison, Students
Sahar: “Madison bought me a coffee maker for my birthday a few weeks ago. It’s such a good present, like I never have to buy coffee out anymore.”
Madison: “I always want to buy the cheap 80p coffees you get from machines, but I always end up going to the ship and spending two quid on it. I probably spend £10 a week on it because I have to drink it every day.”
Neil, Brand Strategist
“I’m not a big coffee drinker. No one in my family is, although it is still something I buy every now and then. I wouldn’t spend more than £5 a week on it.”
Maria and Casey, Graduates
Maria: “I would never drink coffee. It’s not good.”
Casey: “I agree. Why would you drink coffee? It tastes like dirt.”
Saskia, Stylist
“I don’t drink coffee and I never will. I don’t think I’ve ever even tried it. The smell puts me off.”
Tanya, Annie and Beatrix, Musicians
Tanya: “Oh god I love flat whites. I buy them out every day, I must be spending £18 a week on coffee in various forms.”
Annie: “Probably like £5, I’m not very into it. If I’m drinking coffee I’m usually stressed.
Beatrix: “I spend £10 a week. No more, no less.”
Eugenie, Musician
“If it was a choice between cigarettes and coffee I think cigarettes would win. Right now I spend £10 a week on coffee.”