Well folks, I'm back again, thought it 's about time to update my review…read more As usual and repeating what I have said in my earlier reviews. The Coffee Club is still keeping up the quality that it always gives. Although now it's under new management . I will have to elaborate on that at a later date. The Coffee Club still retains that friendly at home atmosphere. Great coffee and teas . Although the Old coffee has gone the replacement is a strong refreshing brand. I like it very much so it's a treat for me. I must stop reading my gadgets when I sit down and drink a full mug enjoying every sip. I'm not a big eater when out , but I must try more of the food and give you reviews on that. Mind you I have only ever seen empty plates going back. I must admit it always looks delicious and very tempting as it passed by me, and very often I nearly buckle to buy some. The Management and Staff are still just as friendly and helpful as ever , and a smile goes a long way with customers. A pity a lot of businesses don't understand that principle. I noticed that there was a review about the buying of food items from another small business, so off I went to get Info on that for you all. Speaking to staff , some small items are purchased from other small shops as is in many establishments.. This is mainly due to the fact that small business's in the area are trying to support each-other through these difficult times . Having been an Executive Chef myself over 30 years I know this doesn't give as good a profit margin as it would using a Catering wholesaler. So I have admiration for these small places doing their best to keep each-other in business. So folks lets use and support those that do their best to serve us as long as they can. Now after all of that I really could do with nipping to The Coffee Club for a coffee and who knows you may just catch me in there having that coffee. So pop in and enjoy the experience. And say hi.

Coffee is good - and the place is generally less mobbed than Costa Coffee just around the corner -…read morebut it sticks in my throat that you see staff from here going to the bakers over the road and buying 6 freshly cooked, plump and delicious scones for a £1 a back - then putting them on their menu (with a pat of fridge cold butter and a plastic pot of jam) with a £1.50 mark-up......

This branch of Starbucks is a very nice branch, it has become the newest addition to my list of…read moreplaces that deserve four stars mainly due to the the level of the service and the quality of the finished beverage. This is quite a large Starbucks store, the only store mainly serving Blackburn, around a mile and half from the city centre, it is located in a small BP Garage complex complex, where there is also a Spar and a Greggs Bakers, it does have its only limited parking here as well as some from the rest of the Beehive Business Park, which is good. The store is a 24 hour store, it is quite good that it is open 24 hours a day and does also have a drive-thru. I also like the fact that this store is really big, it just adds a nice feel to this store, albeit due to the size the space around the till would be much better to be extended to make it less cramped. The service in all did seem quite friendly, a member of staff offered to bring my drinks to my table despite it being one of the furthest tables from the counter, it was quite nice with views out of a window and a Christmas tree, cleverly decorated with Starbucks coffee, cards and trditional decorations. The barista also approved me eating my gluten free blueberry muffin in store, which I had bought from elsewhere, Muffin Break while in Blackburn. For my drink, I ordered a Grande Gingerbread Latte, this came to £4 which is more than the normal selling price in other stores of £3.55 by £0.45, mainly down to it being a franchise store owned by Eurogarages however I was happier to pay this compared to my local franchise run Starbucks store by EuroGarages in Rochdale, which charges considerably more and often £0.50 more than a price of a drink for a lowered quality. My drink in general was quite nice, the cream was made very well to complement my drink, which was made really well. My friend's also enjoyed their tea, albeit one complained it was too cold, mainly down to the other person putting too much milk in, Starbucks still kindly offered to replace it as well, which was good! Overall, this is a really nice branch of Starbucks, despite flaws such as the parking situation, not being able to order in advance and the slightly higher price, this is a really nice Starbucks store and it does set the tone, not just for franchise stores but for Starbucks stores in all too and has done enough to earn four stars. UPDATE: Due to a very bad experience at a recent visit, where I had issues with service and one barista in particular I feel the need to downgrade this branch to a generous three stars. I ordered a Burnt Caramel Latte Iced, and the barista seemed to be very unfriendly and he made my drink wrong, only to send it back and have the same issue. Eventually, another member of staff who seemed friendly, got up and made it herself and the drink was then up to the required standard, to how it should have been originally. With my drink costing over £4, I expect it to be served quickly and in a polite manner with the drink being good quality, and it shouldn't take 3 different drinks and 2 baristas to get that.

A pleasant branch of the green mermaid bearing in mind this is a franchise. A good amount of…read morecomfortable seating is available. What on the surface seems like an odd location for a Starbucks, does very well due to it's proximity to both the M65 motorway and the Royal Blackburn Hospital. All the usual Starbucks food and drink options are available and as they are much of a muchness no matter which branch you visit, what makes a difference is the ambience and the service. Both seem to be on point here, things certainly seem to have improved since Shaun P's visit in 2014. I'd definitely drop in again if I happened to be passing through the area.

Four Seasons has been on my list for a long time and it was long overdue when I finally set time…read moreaside to visit! I'd heard good things about the breakfasts here and thought I'd switch up from my usual Saturday morning cafe and give it a whirl. I had the full breakfast, which gives you an ample serving of bacon, sausage, egg, mushroom, beans and toast. Washed down with a Cappuccino and for a smidgen over £6 - win. The manager who was serving us was fantastic as well, a real character that made a big effort to come and chat with us on a few occasions. To give minus points, the decor is a little dated and I've had better quality breakfast's, but still a great local cafe!

Four Seasons is fast becoming a regular place to visit on a Saturday morning after a heavy Friday…read morenight on the sauce. The lady who runs the cafe is always very pleasant & will go out of her way to come & say hello to you. I tend to go for the standard bacon, sausage & egg barm (Boltonian for muffin, cob, bread roll blah blah blah) & the portion size & the quality of food is excellent. I would advise getting there as early as you can as when it hits 10am its difficult to get a table. The only slight criticism i have is that they charge an extra £1.50 per sandwich for eating in which seems a little steep but with the service & quality, i'll let them off the hook.

This is a nice Starbucks location, located at Charnock Richard Services Northbound…read more It is split across two different areas, one is located at the front of the entrance to the services, this is the area usually open for longer, including on holidays such as Christmas Day, while towards the back of the Northbound, there is another area, this area does have nicer views of the motorway and more comfortable seating, but the branch at the front has the convenience of being quick and easy to get in. I have visited this location on a couple of occasions now, service is generally pretty good, credit must go to the barista who was working on Christmas Day, he did not let the fact that he was working alone on Christmas Day affect his service, he still made a great drink and was very friendly to customers, I did feel bad as he told me his manager was switching between the Starbucks at the Southbound Services and then the Northbound, as with large queues he shouldn't have been alone. With this being a franchised location at a motorway services, it does end up costing more here, my Venti Iced Gingerbread Latte cost £4.80 before discounts, rather than the usual £4.60 - a difference of just under 5%. 4* - A good Starbucks for a motorway service location, a great stop off while you're on the road, but a lack of comfortable seating (in the main area that is open longer) and the price can put one off slightly.

Todd St. Cafe' is located inside Hotel Indigo. Wow…read more Amazingly friendly and helpful. They serve a variety of roasted coffee and tea as well as juices and milkshakes. They've got yummy pastries and toasties too! I love a good toastie and the ones here are spot on. They also have pizza, wraps, and a bunch of other things to choose from. Really tasty food.

Great location in that the service is fantastic, the food is spot on and it's still cheap…read more Also since it's in Picadilly Gardens it can get quite busy but the staff are efficient and friendly. Greggs for the win. Always.

Yet again I found myself in Gregg's. Why? I think it's just because it's such a safe option, when…read moreit's the morning and I haven't had breakfast and I want something hot and quick, Gregg's just always pops up in my mind as the place to go. I think the fact that Gregg's are on every single shopping street ever sometimes with more than one branch too might have something to do with it. I went for a steak slice and a sausage roll. Remarkably, they weren't piping hot. More lukewarm really. And that surprised me, because whenever I've been to Gregg's in the morning the food has always been nice and hot.

Caffe and Co is a decent size breakfast/lunch spot in Rainhill village. It is set in the old HSBC…read morebank but you would never know to look at it now. It has plenty of seating which is good because it gets very busy. I have been coming in here on and off over the last few years, specifically when I go to visit my folks and I have to say, I'm a little underwhelmed. I want it to be better than it is but it just doesn't deliver. I think that is why it's taken me so long to write a review. The service is fine but it's nothing to write home about. You sit down, take note of your table number and order at the counter. As for the food, I only ever come for breakfast. I like the builders breakfast as a choice. It's a good hearty breakfast but the quality varies from one day to the next. The black pudding often comes out like a hockey puck and the mushrooms, which I'm pretty sure are canned are nearly always cold when they get to you. They do good thick toast though which is a plus. Finally, the price is too much. For these prices you should be getting at the very least table service. I honestly think I only go here because I can walk there and I know 9/10 they will have room to sit. Perhaps next trip I'll give it a miss.

This was described by my Mum as being like a Costa Coffee, but it turned out far better than that…read more new cafe on the former site of the HSBC does give the impression of having an owner with a passion for what he is doing. What he is doing is, I suspect, spreading the good word of coffee to tea drinkers. I went in there for a greasy breakfast, which had the Irish and English versions. These were on the menu as more of a commercial necessity. The soda bread was poor, but more ingredient were perfectly fine. That said, when there is a butcher a few doors down, it seems odd that they use "merely" better supermarket stuff (I could be wrong). The coffee was indeed very nice and well served. The different types of coffee were listed on a board next to their curry-equivalent in strength to give some idea of what people could order. It was a nice touch that would work equally well in curry houses in most of the rest of Europe. That and the offer of barrista lessons tell the story of an evangelical owner. The pastries looked rather superior to the average Starbucks nonsense. Were this really a Costa, it would get two stars. Instead, it just squeaks four.

This lovely Caffe Nero is located on New Bailey Street, which is close to Deansgate. I love the…read morerustic modern feel to the place though it is quite on the small side! The nicest Caffe Nero i've been too though! The baristas were friendly and my latte tasted great! Cant wait to go back and relax into there comfy sofas whilst enjoying my Italian Coffee, They also have loads of charger points to charge your i phones and MacBooks plus there is free wifi!

As far as Caffè Nero's go, this is a particularly lovely one. Located perfectly for me - right…read morebetween work and home - I ventured in for the first time last weekend. After a few drinks the night before and on my way to a day at a craft workshop, I needed something refreshing on the walk over to Castlefield to help me feel energised (and get rid of dry mouth!) Currently going through a small love affair with strawberry milk, my sights were already set on their strawberry frappe milkshake. Many of their cold drinks are displayed in the cooler along with the sandwiches, so you can make your decision before heading up to the bar, which I can imagine comes in very handy during peak times. The barista serving was super friendly, asking me about my day whilst my drink was whirring away, and wishing me a lovely weekend. The drink itself was just what I needed for the walk, not too sweet but perfectly cold, and a lighter consistency than the Frappuccino at Starbucks. What really struck me about this visit was the interior of the space - for a chain coffee shop, it was bloody lovely! Lots of dark wood, comfortably looking seating, and classical music playing. A calm, relaxed environment I can totally imagine spending an afternoon working or catching up with friends in if I couldn't find an independent nearby.