We recently held a Saturday launch of our new office on Great Titchfield Street, Fitzrovia. I spoke to a lot of locals that day and many of them were in the area to visit its coffee shops. It made me think.
Do Fitzrovia’s coffee shops effect its property prices?
It may sound like a strange question but as a long time Fitzrovia estate agent I can’t help but notice a lot of tenants and buyers now consider a healthy cafe society as an essential ingredient in choosing where to live in central London.
As a neighbourhood, Fitzrovia probably has the best independent coffee scene in London’s West End. Let’s start with Great Titchfield Street, which numerous estate agents in Fitzrovia have been calling “the coffee quarter” for well over a decade. First there was a strong old school Italian presence with the likes of HT Harris and Franks. The new generation started with Scandinavian Kitchen, which not only offers hits to the coffee addicted Swedes and Danes, they also bake tasty buns. Then came the real game changer, when Peter opened Kaffeine he brought the Melbourne style coffee shop bang into the heart of Fitzrovia. Many of LDG’s tenants used to make Kaffeine their morning HQ and I believe it made them want to rent in Fitzrovia for longer. Others followed. Attendant opened in a disused public toilet. Alex Coffee burst onto Hanson Street and must be Fitzrovia’s most loved smallest coffee shop. Almost Saturday and Archetype followed. And this is excluding a host of others on Great Portland Street, Charlotte Street and many others.
So, have these beans made a difference? I believe they’ve helped put Fitzrovia on the map. For many people a proper coffee is as important as a cold pint. You want it hassle free, on your doorstep, and you want it to be good. The strong independent coffee scene in Fitzrovia has fortified the desire of people who want to rent and buy in Fitzrovia, and therefore it’s intrinsically linked to demand. If you don’t believe me, come and do your own taste test…. Let me know if you need recommendations!
