Sales & marketing

Bermondsey coffee shop with “offensive” sign in hot water with landlords

All businesses know the trials and tribulations of branding, the long hours spent on getting everything just right including the name of the firm itself.

So imagine the frustration of a Bermondsey coffee shop when the owner was served a legal notice from his landlords saying the shop sign had to be removed. The reason? It was deemed offensive? as the name of the shop was F***offee clearly seenon the display.

Adrian Jones, owner of the shop, said it had only been intended as a joke, but he was told by building owners it would be torn down unless he voluntarily removes it.

He posted the notice to Twitter and received a groundswell of support from customers.

Jones had initially asked his maintenance man to get the sign in question up while he was on holiday and returned to social media run amok though sales were up 20 per cent.

The resulting furore over whether the landlords were right to make the order has itself hugely raised the coffee shop’s profile showing that controversial branding can pay off well for a small business, as long as you have the majority of the public including your customers onside.

Jones said the police played up a bit, but later admitted there’s no legal problem with it”. However, when it came to the letter “I’ve spoken to my solicitor and he says we haven’t got a leg to stand on.

He added he wasn’t quite sure how he’d feel if heowneda flat over a shop called F***offee.

Jonesopened his first cafe back in the late 90s and now also owns Goswell Road Coffee in Islington, but unsurprisingly, it’s F***offee which has caught the eye.