new cafe

[Tealeaf]

13p is a weeks wages in China

[Jo]

For us outsiders that haven't yet seen this café - is it where the clock used to be in the Arndale? It's hard to work out from the photos exactly where it is.

[Tealeaf]

Yeah....right underneath...but there might have a few problems shortly. The Arndale management have just announced that smoking fags is to be banned, - alongside taking piccys - within the precinct. So anyone wanting a quick two quid double expresso and a woodbine is going to be in serious trouble.

[Atarah]

Hi Jo, hope I can "talk" you through this photo of Mick's.
Do I take it you have been here fairly recently? Imagine you have walked through Marks and Spencers, out into the Arndale. You would then turn to your right and head for where the clock used to be. See the glass dome, and you can just about make out four lights? Thats the area where the top of the clock would have opened. (Roughly behind where the two ladies are talking). The shuttered window to the left of the photo is actually New Look, you would of course turn immediate left there to get out to the Arndale car park.
Help any?

[mez]

oo atarah put yer glasses on, its a feller & a lady // ha ha ha

[Atarah]

Know what I find odd? I have been in the Arndale today, which is now a NO SMOKING zone and could see ashtrays and people smoking in that new cafe (which replaced the site of the clock) Apparently the Arndale is a NO SMOKING but .... if you go in the cafe, which is open on all four sides, YOU CAN SMOKE!!! ? ???????? er, what goes on here?

[Caz]

Utterly ridiculous isn't it?

I had originally assumed it was becoming a no smoking zone because of the cafe, how wrong can you be.

Apparently the council don't have the power to make the cafe's owners enforce a no smoking ban in there.

Am I right in thinking it's owned by the same people that have the other one in the Arndale?

That seems to be opened up now, so presumably it's the same there?

[mick]

Its the same people that have the big cafe in St Georges centre in Preston
but don't know if you can smoke in that one i will find out next thursday

[Atarah]

And .. they have one in Blackpool too.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think it's because the Arndale is privately owned that the Town Hall knows nothing about a photography ban because it is nothing to do with them. I was stopped from taking photos years ago when I'd already taken loads of the thing under construction.

It's a shame about the clock. It was one of our tourist attractions, along with the viaduct. People come from miles around to see that viaduct.

The smoking ban is pointless if people can smoke in the cafe area. Can't the Arndale owners complain to the cafe proprietors that smoke is wafting out into public areas?

[mick]

Well i was in Preston today and ST Georges Centre is a no smoking area
and yes you can smoke in the cafe area which is a bit pointless

[Bazf]

Ban all smokoing in public places, they did in Florida no problems and more revenue.