“Picture this. It is early November 2009. You arrive at The Carreg at 11.45 on a typical weekday or Saturday for coffee. As you walk in you notice the room on your right cordoned off with velvet barrier rope, with all tables in that room attractively set for a high quality lunch experience, with quality napkins and cutlery already laid. You seat yourself in the front left room and order a coffee. The bar and this one room is run by a single waitress, who is smartly dressed, wearing a fitted blouse, skirt and long apron, hair tied back and smart black shoes finishing the image. A variety of cakes and biscuits are available for sale in the bar along with a selection of quality teas, coffees and cold drinks.
At just before noon you approach the bar to pay for your coffee and notice a new touchscreen/stock controlling till being used. A fast turnaround occurs at the till and you are ready to leave.
At noon, as you are leaving, you notice other waiting staff, all dressed as neatly as the first waitress, removing the velvet rope and laying up the remaining tables in the room in front of the bar. All tables are laid up perfectly for what is obviously going to be a quality lunchtime experience. Menus are printed on a single piece of quality paper showing a full ‘black rock’ grill menu and a number of quality meals, salads and more familiar meals from the previous daytime menus. Starters are also available and also slightly,higher priced ‘Starter platters’ for people who require a lighter lunch.
It states on the menu that lunch is served from 12p, until 3pm and you query what happens at 3pm. At 3pm, you are told politely, the velvet rope is put back in position, and the cordoned off room laid up for evening service. However coffees and suchlike will still be available in the bar and the room in front of the bar until daytime closing at 5pm.”
This new approach to the lunchtime experience is happening soon….
