Brixton food & drink news: new restaurants, bars, pop ups, cafes and more
- Thread starter Onket
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SpamMisery
Pretty comfortable here right under your skin
Bar all the complaints over tax etc, Pret is a useful addition for me.
editor
hiraethified
I could find nothing in planning about this when I looked last week. Where did you hear about it?
ricbake
working out how
Major gush about Pret
Pret's people management secrets
- although they are elsewhere accused of an ageist employment strategy and for their front of house it appears they prefer younger people who will accept minimum wage - so some staff may be propped up by tax credits
The tax position corporately is said to be better than some
Directors at sandwich chain Pret A Manger have dig at firms that avoid paying tax because of way they are structured | This is Money
Pret's people management secrets
- although they are elsewhere accused of an ageist employment strategy and for their front of house it appears they prefer younger people who will accept minimum wage - so some staff may be propped up by tax credits
The tax position corporately is said to be better than some
Directors at sandwich chain Pret A Manger have dig at firms that avoid paying tax because of way they are structured | This is Money
editor
hiraethified
There's another gushing piece in this week's Time Out from an employee. They certainly seem better than most. I stopped using them when they were part owned by McDonalds.
editor
hiraethified
I like their Veggie Pret initiative - it's great to have a shop that's totally veggie. Seeing as all the independent cafes that I liked have gone from central London, the one by Carnaby Street is one I end up using fairly often.
I've never seen a Pret that doesn't have an inside eating area, so if they are coming to the phone shop by the tube, surely there should be a planning application for change of use from A1 to A3?
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
there's a big Pret poster in the window
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
my understanding of the rules about selling food from an A1 unit is that as long as it is not made on the premises it doesn't count as a restaurant so no need for planning/change of use, I know of 3 or 4 places in Soho alone who have used this tactic even though they are selling three course meals
editor
hiraethified
Ah, right., That settles it then!
editor
hiraethified
I remember they used to boast that their food was made 'fresh on the premises,' but maybe they're just exploiting that loophole now and getting them shipped in from nearby.
That said, I much prefer Pret to Costa or Caffe Nero (and Starbucks is awful), although San Marino is going to remain my #1 choice in Brixton.
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
sandwiches are cold foods and come under A1 category so they could well be fresh made on the premises (their website says so),
editor
hiraethified
They also serve hot foods too. Soup, hot rolls etc.
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
I'm out of touch with the small print of it all but at a rough guess I would say the soup is made off-premises and hot rolls probably fall into whatever category that allows Greggs to sell hot pies eat-in, I recently went to place in Soho and had a 3 course meal with wine and yet it is A1!!!
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
don't mind if I do
editor
hiraethified
I'll have a cheese sandwich and a coffee, thanks.
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
It only appeared the other day I think.
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
Grab & Go is the best coffee imo and under £2 for a latte. Lovely staff too.
organicpanda
cat herder extraodinaire
I noticed it Wednesday night on my way home
jimbarkanoodle
Well-Known Member
Wetherspoons coffee is a quid and unlimited refills until 2pm. Handy if you want to graze and do some work on the laptop
editor
hiraethified
I like them too and always use them if I need to, err, grab and go with a coffee.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
If they only have one store in Brixton area they are going to have to make the sandwiches onsite. Most Prets make food on-site. In West End some small Prets may be supplied. But only from nearby larger Prets. Pret normally work in basis of having several Prets in one area.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
There are upsides and downside from working at Pret. I'm talking as long term customer who gets free coffee at a couple of Prets. Which will go unnamed.
The downside is the mystery shopper. You only have to miss saying one thing and whole "team" fails. Losing the bonus.I don't feel that Pret workers like this enforced teamwork philosophy.
It's also had work. Making sandwiches early morning , cleaning rota etc etc. It reminds me of a more traditional factory. Where old Marx is still relevant. He was talking about Mills but Pret is very much a highly controlled well oiled machine. The addition is the "emotional labour" . Pret workers have leeway to give free coffee. I know them as fellow workers. Doing working class jobs we can identify with each other.
Pret from what I have heard is not the worst to work for but it's still a hard job.
And unlike some of the old fashioned cafes I use Pret age group is remarkably young. I can't believe that is just accidental.
Pret is pretty good example of how modern Capitalism works. Centralised control, highly controlled workforce, standardized product. Model replicated globally. Still dependent on cheapish labour. See from article that use of "emotional labour" is not denied. Which is interesting aspect of more modern Capitalism.
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editor
hiraethified
Mind you, I worked in a sandwich bar for a couple of years and I could only dream of the benefits that Pret staff get. It was shit money, shit conditions and zero benefits. Not that all staff shouldn't now get decent wages/conditions/perks etc as a matter of course.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
Do pret pay the living wage (the real one, not min wage)?
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