Update 1st Nov 2016: Closed: Stairway Bakery and Coffee Shop at Fryern Arcade
Original post (below):
The last trading day for Asante coffee shop on Winchester Road in Chandler’s Ford will be on Saturday October 18th 2014.
Asante coffee shops were set up by Paul and Shirley Barter five years ago. Another Asante coffee shop is in Romsey.
The coffee shops aim to support the charity Citizens 4 change (c4c), to help provide funds to assist young people in Kisumu in Kenya, especially for their Life Centre school in Kisumu.
Asante means ‘Thank you’ in Swahili.
In Chandler’s Ford, Asante has been serving coffee, tea, soft drinks, milkshakes, baguettes, sandwiches, and homemade cakes.
Two months ago, I had coffee and cake at Asante, as Ray Fishman, Chairman of the Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford Fundraising Group for Marie Curie Cancer Care, held a Blooming Great Tea Party at Asante to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Asante says Thank You to Chandler’s Ford
A large poster is now placed on the window of Asante. It reads:
“Sadly our last trading day for Asante will be Saturday October 18th.
After an amazing 5 years we have decided to hang up our aprons and move on to other things. We have raised over £60,000 changing the lives of well over 500 children and young adults in Kenya. All this as well as giving job opportunities to many and work experience to numerous young people here through our volunteer network.
We would like to say a huge Asante!
To all our wonderful customers, friends and volunteers.”
How to continue support Citizens 4 Change charity
On the poster, it also highlights that you could continue support the Citizens 4 Change charity. You can:
- Supporting the Romsey Asante Shop in Latimer Walk, Romsey (off Latimer street).
- Making a donation at Citizens 4 change (c4c).
- Holding a coffee morning or tea afternoon to raise funds.
Is Costa Coffee to blame for Asante’s closure?
Some people seem to blame Costa Coffee for causing the closure of Asante coffee shop in Chandler’s Ford. Costa Coffee opened on the 3rd of May this year, by the former Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor Malcolm Cross.
Some people also blame Waitrose for giving out free coffee for customers, through Waitrose’s loyalty scheme.
Every coffee place creates its own culture, atmosphere, and community. People may visit Costa Coffee in Chandler’s Ford for its comfy sofa, modern feel, and a large outdoor space where you can do people-watching and socialising. People may visit Asante for its exotic African feel and its charity appeal. People may visit Waitrose because, well, the coffee is free and the coffee is really rich and fragrant. I have had a few free coffee from Waitrose in the past.
Stairway Bakery at Fryern Arcade
Don’t forget in the Fryern Arcade, we still have a traditional bakery – Stairway Bakery. Nick Coleman recently shared with us the history of Stairway Bakery, and the mystery of the Fryern Arcade public toilets.
Recently, I have found that the big white van of Stairway Bakery is always parked directly outside Costa Coffee at the Fryern Arcade car park. Perhaps it is Stairway’s intention to remind people that Stairway Bakery is much alive and running. Perhaps parking strategically is Stairway Bakery’s advertising plan.
Finally, where do you have your coffee?
Related Posts:
- Relish Canteen at Chandler’s Ford Central Precinct
- Asante Family Remains Optimistic Despite Chandler’s Ford Shop Closure
- Coffee Shops in Chandler’s Ford
- Coffee And Free WiFi In Chandler’s Ford
- In Love With Chandler’s Ford Coffee Shops
- Fryern Arcade Old And New
- The Big Issue In Chandler’s Ford
- Fryern Arcade In Chandler’s Ford: Major Changes Are Coming
- How I love Your Comments
- Where Is The Centre Of Chandler’s Ford?
- Peter Green Coffee Shop
- The Mall Shopping Centre In Chandler’s Ford
- Marie Curie Fundraising Success At Chandler’s Ford Asante
- August 24: Asante For Marie Curie Cancer Care
- What Had Happened To The Fryern Arcade Public Toilets?
- Supermarket ‘threat’ to charity coffee shop (From Daily Echo)
- Charity coffee shop ‘forced out of town’ (From Daily Echo)
That’s sad to read about Asante – when I have visited Fryern Arcade recently it seems that
Stairway Bakery has been busier than they have ever been since Costa has opened and they have even more tables and chairs outside now.
As an independent coffee shop owner at Bay Leaves Larder it’s not always easy as we don’t have the buying power of the likes of Costa Coffee, but people like the brand high street names so we independent family owned businesses just have to be aware of trying to make a difference to our customers, who in turn become our loyal friends and our extended family. Hopefully there is space for us all for our different reasons.
Sarah,
As you know full well that people who visit coffee shops do not just go for the quality of coffee (or tea).
The ambiance of the place, the vibes, quality of service……are all so important. A good community coffee shop helps me relax, gets me stories, and connects me with the bigger world (as I do a lot of people-watching and resource-finding).
This is a great shame. Asante is a friendly, non commercialised, cosy place to have coffee and is supporting a worthwhile cause.
I am sure many people will miss having their coffee there.
Dear Ann,
It is indeed sad that Asante is leaving. We visited Asante a few times and it was good to have an alternative coffee place in Chandler’s Ford.
Asante has formed its own community. However it is never easy managing a coffee shop run by volunteers. People who support Asante will still be able to continue doing so in the Asante Romsey shop or by online support.
Don’t even get me started on Stairway Bakery’s enormous van which is now a permanent fixture outside Costa Coffee. It’s incredibly dangerous, as it is blocking the view from cars coming around the corner. I nearly had an accident last week whilst reversing my car and have witnessed another near miss.
Hi Joanne,
Thank you for your comment. The entrance from the Winchester Road roundabout to the Fryern Arcade carpark is dangerous, with or without the white van, though I understand that a large van could easily block the view from cars entering the carpark. There are drivers rushing into the carpark from Winchester Road, and sometimes cars from both Oakmount Road and Winchester Road all want to rush in. Some drivers drive too fast into the carpark, and some drivers are not very patient.
Drivers should try using the entrance from Brownhill Road into the Fryern Arcade carpark, though sometimes the junction is also busy and it involves great skills to avoid big delivery lorries of Co-Op.