Forum Topic

Tales of Two Coffee Shops

Tales of Two Coffee ShopsCafe Nero in Putney Station. Dependent on commuter trade which is usually tidal. The other day getting off a train from the City at 6.30 pm,rush hour, only around twenty got off. A trickle. The manager in the shop told  me they had been open four weeks and trade was around 10/15% of “normal”. Conclusion people are either not working or working from home.Olympic Studios, Barnes High Street. In its open air “terrace” a bustling trade. Ladies and Gents of the leisure(retired,) class dominate but youngsters too. Another example of the better heeled Barnes against  the working Putney. That is not to say that empty shops have not appeared in Barnes.

Hugh Thompson ● 2161d9 Comments

I could give you 1000 reasons why Putney is better than Barnes. I’ve lived in both and my parents now live in Barnes. I live in Putney though the best place in the UK ever. It would be rude for me to comment on this forum but there are a lot of issues that Barnes has that Putney doesn’t!

Nick Gulliford ● 2160d

I loved Barnes, I was born there and went to school in Sheen. Just started working in Putney when young and ended up living here when I got married. Always went to the pub's in Sheen and Richmond when growing up.

Barbara Stevens ● 2160d

I agree as well.  The other enormous positive that Barnes has it does not endure traffic from main roads as the A3 going past it....   I also agree with Richard that comparing the Olympic Studios with Cafe Nero in Putney railway station is a non-starter.  It is like comparing chalk and cheese.

Ivonne Holliday ● 2161d

Honestly depends what you want really doesn't it? I could liken Lower Richmond Road and all its independent coffee shops / restaurants to Barnes absolutely fine.  Now we have the High Street which potentially isn't as nice as Barnes.But there are equally as nice pubs in Putney to Barnes. You can do Dukes Head, Spotted Horse, Arab Boy for warm old school vibe, you can do Boat House for more modern. There are nice bars in Putney (imo). Also we have Putney Embankment / Wandsworth Park which is nicer place to hang out by the river than the tow path at Barnes. Plus we have the tube / train connections which are better.  For me as well, wanting underground parking, means Barnes is out of the question!

Gabrielle OMahony ● 2161d

Barnes being prettier and more village like (no tube though) is probably why it is  usually more expensive to buy a home there. If it's  so 'much nicer than Putney' why aren't you living in Barnes any longer?

Lucille Grant ● 2161d

Quite agree!

Jane Carter ● 2161d

I'm from Barnes and Barnes is much nicer than Putney. Barnes is much prettier, shops in White Hart Lane going right round to The Red Lion.

Barbara Stevens ● 2161d

The two cafes are not at all comparable: one is a terrace cafe out on the street, the other essentially a kiosk inside a station that has had very little traffic since the lockdown. Consequently, to quote this as "another example of the better heeled Barnes against the working Putney" is, unfortunately, nonsense.

Richard Carter ● 2161d

Glad yesterday to be able to visit my hairdresser in Barnes

Ruth Wyman ● 2161d