Commercial Coffee machines, and good start up tips?

Doodee

Hey There,


I've been lurking about this forum for a bit reading some experiences and concerns of posters. It has been rather informative. But I feel the need to ask for your experience on a matter.


My Parents run a small 20 bed room hotel in Galway, outside of the city. Now it is a very tranquil place normally, only busy during the busy periods (Races, GAA matches, Arts festival).

For some time my folks have been playing with the idea of doing proper coffee. At present they just use instant or catering filter coffee. Now here comes my question to those who might know, is there any decent coffee specialist in Ireland or the North to purchase and service a small machine from? And what machine should they go for?

I almost bought a Sylvia with Rocky 2 weeks ago for them after reading users experiences with them here. My hesitation though was in it being a single Boiler and some people expressing their dislike of having to wait some time to receive a coffee. Although the place is quiet and tranquil most of the time, when there it is busy they would have to supply to the customer accordingly.
I noticed on another recent thread that there is a company in the U.K. that re-sell refurbished machines and grinders. I know that going this route means you are not being advised by the distributor but is that worth the money saving? and would they be reliable as a 3rd party service agent would be pricey I'd assume. To talk figures they are looking for under 2k seeing as it is something to try without rushing into it.

I also noticed that some people like soft, mild background music. What about the radio? would this be a dislike for some?
It would not really be a major concern though as my father is quite the music enthusiast, with quite eclectic taste. He's also a Bearded poet (Think Ronnie drew beard).

My last question would be regarding the Pub environment. Would any of your coffee enthusiasts be more willing to go to the pub with your friends if they served nice coffee? Seeing as drink driving threats have scared most of their older customers from coming out they must look at ways to encourage the non drinkers and designated drivers to come out. I was thinking that a very good coffee might be the trick.


So to re-cap here are my main questions:

Any good coffee specialist in Ireland or the North to purchase and service a small machine from?
What machine should they go for?
Are refurbished machines a good alternative?
What are servicing prices like?
Would you be more willing to go to the pub with your friends if they served nice coffee?

Thanks for your time and sorry for the wall of text. Any help wuld be appreciated. I'm also going to be keeping an eye on the cafe likes and dislikes thread



JP

RE*AC*TOR

I can't answer a couple of your questions, having never worked in coffee, it would be hard for me to say.

What machine should they go for?

Something like a Silvia is a strictly home-use only job. For low volume commercial, I'd be thinking something along the line of a La Spaziale Vivaldi S1 Mk11 - 1 group, plumb in, twin boiler.

Would you be more willing to go to the pub with your friends if they served nice coffee?

No, I wouldn't. Maybe some would. I tend to go to the pub for drink, food, and football.

chahop

There are a few suppliers around Galway, I got my 3 head conti coffee machine off GMR coffee in Tuam, the service and supply my coffee and they have been great.
I will PM you Jim's number

IsThatSo?

Would you be more willing to go to the pub with your friends if they served nice coffee?

Nope.

You are asking hard coffee heads here though so you might not get a good indication of a general response by asking us. The problem with "good coffee" is that the "good" bit is subjective.

zagmund

I would be more willing to go to pubs if they served good coffee. When I'm on holidays in Italy or Spain for a week I spend more time in bars there than I spend in pubs in Ireland for the rest of the year. This is at least partly because they serve good coffee (dos cortados . . . . mmmm)

If I feel like a coffee I get a coffee, if I feel like a beer I get a beer, if I feel like a snack I get a snack. This just isn't an option in most Irish bars.

One problem with coffee though would be that many people won't drink it 'late' in the evening because they fear they won't get to sleep so you mightn't get too much business from this end in the evening.

If the hotel is on/near a busy road then you could appeal to the passing business trade . . . I'm sure that sales reps must get tired of pub food and might swap some of it for a good coffee and a danish. I know I would. If the alternative is a 7 minute 45 second break at a service station forecourt with an instant coffee and a shrink wrapped danish then you could get some business out of that.

z