Clarkston
Beanscene
1-3
Helena Place
Clarkston
Toll
South
Side
Feed
me for a fiver
Beanscene
is what it is when it comes to food. It emulates other coffee house
chains, like Starbucks, and has a range of pre-packed sandwiches that
can be toasted on demand. They can also whip up some nachos or a
pizza if you're in the mood for something more filling. The menu does
contain the vegan staple of hummus that comes with veggies to graze
on. Prices for sandwiches start at roughly £3.95 and go right up to
£7.95 for a pizza. My plate of hummus and veggies came in under
budget at £4.95 and did tide me over until I got home.
One
bonus for this Beanscene is that it comes with an alcohol license. If
you feel like drowning your writing sorrows, you can buy a glass of
wine from the counter or bring your own for a corkage charge. Might
not be a good idea at lunchtime though.
Good
coffee
Again,
Beanscene coffee is nothing to write home about (excuse the bad
pun...). It's hot, slightly too bitter and comes in oversized cups
which can be great for giving the brain cells a good prod. They
charge extra for soya milk (30p) which can be frustrating for those
who avoid cow's milk. I usually order their medium size when I'm
settling in for a writing session which comes to a purse happy price
of £1.80.
Table
space
This
Beanscene is unusual because it's spread over two levels. The ground
floor is usually busy, regardless of what time of day you visit.
There are a number of large sofas that groups tend to take over, with
more spacious seating at the back behind the counter area.
Upstairs
is where I usually hide out during the day. It's a common sight to
see people working, studying or eejits like me writing away upstairs.
There are bar stools under the huge windows which look out over
Clarkston Toll. It's an excellent spot for people watching and
dreaming up characters.
As
for the table space, I find the tables for two quite restrictive. You
have enough room for a laptop and a small bucket of coffee. During
the day it is possible to grab a four seater table, spread out your
writing tools and not worry about taking up too much space.
Power
outlets and Wi Fi access
On
my first visit to Beanscene there was a good level of access to power
points but none, that I could see, close to the sofas I prefer to
lounge on. The Wi Fi can be very weak if you choose to sit upstairs
or non-existent as it was on my visit. You can ask a member of staff
at the counter for the password and, if I remember correctly, you do
not need to register for an account. That time I decided to give up
on the Wi Fi and catch up on web related tasks when I got home.
Friendliness
of staff
The
staff here are pleasant enough for a chain coffeeshop. They do seem
to be kept extremely busy either serving customers, making up food in
the kitchen or clearing tables so it's understandable they don't have
time to chat. I would say they are very professional and polite but
lacking the friendliness I've experienced in, say, Gusto and Relish.
General
atmosphere
This
Beanscene has been around for some time. I remember coming here to
visit friends years ago and its still standing. On my more recent
visits, it has been reasonably busy. It is a good meeting hub for the
people that live nearby and don't want to trek into town. In the
evenings, this place can be absolutely mobbed. I remember coming to
meet a friend for coffee on a Tuesday evening and being gobsmacked
that every table was taken. During the day, it's a different type of
busy and more laid back than the caffeine fuelled evenings.
You
can catch a train to Clarkston from Glasgow Central (there's two
every hour) or the 44, 44A and 66 buses stop seconds from Beanscene's
front door.
On
my last visit to Beanscene, I started working on a story which ended
up on Write in for Writing's Sake. Pop over and have a little read if
you wish.
