Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Goodbye Blend!
It was with a sad heart that I saw this week that Blend has at last sold and changed hands. It appears to be in the process of being transformed into a (you guessed it) gozleme shop.
It is yet to be seen what will come of it but it looks set to join the ranks of businesses such as Beans and Barley who have been bought out and have lost any of their original appeal... B&B has more or less become a men's social club, with crystal glassware, Guiness on tap and people frequently smoking indoors. Shame but hopefully the arrival of Mum's and Dusty Knuckle will keep the high street interesting!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by JennyC on
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What a shame. Loved blend for my Friday morning off work brekkie. Thanks Blend for the lovely times there x
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Such a shame! To be fair, I believe that the original owners sold it in 2019/20 as a going concern, so perhaps the new owners couldn't make a go of it - it's been an incredibly tough year. Will miss the evening pop ups too.
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Permalink Reply by Geoff on
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That's really sad. This is a step backwards. The broadening out of the range of cafes, restaurants and shops is a vital part of the evolution of the area, rather than an oversupply of existing kinds of suppliers with a limited target market. The example of Beans and Barley, raised by Kotkas, is typical - 'a mens social club' is not what the area needs. Diversification with an inclusive appeal is what is required - Blend (sadly no more as it was) were the trail-blazers, followed by Harringay Local Store and more recently Mums and Dusty Knuckle (to open shortly), and also Costa - who have continued to set the positive example and attract a much broader range of customers, representative of the evolving local demographics.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I think the true pioneer was Cafe Lemon - now sadly emigrated to West Green Road. I loved that place
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Permalink Reply by Caroline on
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Surely what this area needs is businesses that make money and attract customers. Businesses do not close if they get enough customers to make a sustainable profit. Therefore, if people are so passionate about "diversifying", maybe they need to put their money where their mouths are. Conversly, all the ""Gözleme" shops seem to be doing just fine. I am so sick of the blatant racism and prejudice on this site.
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Dont think it has anything to do with racism just the fact that there is a lack of diversity. There is a very high turnover of Turkish cuisine focused restaurants as well because of the oversupply. This cannot be in the council's interest
i would also say It is the council's responsibility to support diversity and attract different types of restaurants and businesses.
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Permalink Reply by Lauren on
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The new dish restaurant Il Caffe opposite Tesco is nice. Beans & Barley is still alright but yes seems to attract a very generic clientele of 20-30 something men who just drink coffee and smoke a lot. It’s a shame as they do nice coffee and food but outside is too manly and smoky and inside is a noisy crèche during the day. Sounds like they only have one music track on a constant loop all the time too. Maybe if more people go who are not young men who just drink coffee and smoke then it will diversify. Inside would be a great place to work from a laptop and have a nice lunch but for the noise from the crèche. I think they’re missing a trick.
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Feel like Jam in a Jar is a much nicer alternative to Beans & Barley, and right next door. Great cafe during the day, and bar at night.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Another thumbs up for the fish at Il Caffe here. We just had a very nice lunch there and good coffee. Could be another regular lunch hangout for me!
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