AMT Coffee goes into adminstration... then gets bought out by SSP

[physics34]

Not sure on the right forum or whether this was posted before...

But AMT coffee a staple at some railway stations has been bought out by SSP (the ones responsible for Upper Crust, Pumpkin, Delice le France etc), with the closure of a few of them.

The East Croydon has already taken a fall in quality unfortunately. The coffee now tastes like cigerette ash.

AMT Coffee sold out of administration to SSP with loss of 100 jobs

Sale of chain that operates sites across UK and Ireland means closure of 18 outlets but 25 will remain open

www.theguardian.com

 

[zwk500]

Well, it was perhaps inevitable that station coffee shops would shut down given the downturn in commuter traffic, and equally as inevitable that SSP would seek to protect it's market position by buying up what was left.
Station coffee has never been particularly about the taste, unless you happen to have one of the few local independent ones. It was about giving you the energy to get to the office or the heat to beat the morning chill.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Well, it was perhaps inevitable that station coffee shops would shut down given the downturn in commuter traffic, and equally as inevitable that SSP would seek to protect it's market position by buying up what was left.
Station coffee has never been particularly about the taste, unless you happen to have one of the few local independent ones. It was about giving you the energy to get to the office or the heat to beat the morning chill.

I never thought AMT was that good anyway, but its locations were handy, having premises in smaller locations. They were more in the business that the Puccino's franchise chain are/were. (I love the way they laugh at themselves!)

 

[AlterEgo]

I loved their milkshakes. I hadn’t seen the MK one open for a long time though. Sad to see, I remember they had one at Marylebone too.

 

[Horizon22]

They seemed a little over-priced compared to the other coffee shops available in the vicinty at most stations I went to, but they were a bit quirky.

Although going to SSP is never a good sign.

Well, it was perhaps inevitable that station coffee shops would shut down given the downturn in commuter traffic, and equally as inevitable that SSP would seek to protect it's market position by buying up what was left.
Station coffee has never been particularly about the taste, unless you happen to have one of the few local independent ones. It was about giving you the energy to get to the office or the heat to beat the morning chill.

Many of the chains have a store (or two!) in major stations now; I always stay well clear of any of the SSP-type coffee places like Upper Crust and Pumpkin as it is overpriced garbage IMO.

 

[MikeWM]

I noticed that the two AMTs at Cambridge (one on platform 4, one on 7/8) were closed on Monday, with a note on the door saying they had gone into administration. I guess those are 2 of the 18 that aren't staying open then.

As I'm not a coffee drinker, I can't say I'd ever used them myself, but they did seem fairly popular.

 

[Captain Chaos]

SSP? Oh dear. Never a good sign that! I remember there used to be 2 at Reading but one closed when the station got redone and they refused an outlet and the other never reopened after lockdown, but the writing was on the wall a long time before that tbh. Shame, I liked stopping off at the Oxford City Centre one on bike rides but, if its SSP now I will have to blacklist it. I never forgave them for taking over the pasty shop at Reading. The fall in quality and range was astonishing and I just avoid their outlets in general. Overpriced and poor quality really.

 

[43066]

They seemed a little over-priced compared to the other coffee shops available in the vicinty at most stations I went to, but they were a bit quirky.

Yep. Not somewhere that I have ever found particularly visually appealing, I must say. It looks more like an old school kiosk. Things have moved on with Pret, Starbucks, Costa etc.

“Shortage of labour” sounds like “we aren’t willing/able to pay staff the going rate so they’re all leaving to work in Pret etc.” (Pret being a decent employer in this sector, by all accounts).

 

[Horizon22]

SSP? Oh dear. Never a good sign that! I remember there used to be 2 at Reading but one closed when the station got redone and they refused an outlet and the other never reopened after lockdown, but the writing was on the wall a long time before that tbh. Shame, I liked stopping off at the Oxford City Centre one on bike rides but, if its SSP now I will have to blacklist it. I never forgave them for taking over the pasty shop at Reading. The fall in quality and range was astonishing and I just avoid their outlets in general. Overpriced and poor quality really.

Definitely agree with this. SSP seem to turn things into bargain basement quality.

 

[philosopher]

Not sure on the right forum or whether this was posted before...

But AMT coffee a staple at some railway stations has been bought out by SSP (the ones responsible for Upper Crust, Pumpkin, Delice le France etc), with the closure of a few of them.

The East Croydon has already taken a fall in quality unfortunately. The coffee now tastes like cigerette ash.

AMT Coffee sold out of administration to SSP with loss of 100 jobs

Sale of chain that operates sites across UK and Ireland means closure of 18 outlets but 25 will remain open

www.theguardian.com

That is a shame, as AMT coffee were one of the better chains for coffee. SSP branded outlets on the other hand are selling expensive dark brown coloured water rather than coffee!

 

[westv]

I always preferred making and drinking my own coffee in the morning at home before leaving rather than buying one at the station.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Definitely agree with this. SSP seem to turn things into bargain basement quality.

They took over the catering outlets at montreal Airport. Replacing quebec outlets with the likes of Upper crust and Camden food co.
Thankfully they've not got their hands on the Tim Hortons there

 

[Captain Chaos]

“Shortage of labour” sounds like “we aren’t willing/able to pay staff the going rate so they’re all leaving to work in Pret etc.” (Pret being a decent employer in this sector, by all accounts).

Not even a joke. That's exactly where the Reading AMT staff ended up going to after having worked there for years. Wonder if there was a change of management or new contracts imposed that caused it all? Makes you wonder...

 

[Techniquest]

Definitely agree with this. SSP seem to turn things into bargain basement quality.

Low quality and high prices, in my experience. The Pumpkin at my local station is never visited by myself these days, it used to be a mandatory part of a day out but that ceased some years ago. With the price they now ask for a basic cup of coffee, served with a huge dollop of misery, it's no wonder the place is almost always empty these days.

AMT was not a regular thing for me, but on the occasional visits I did make (normally on days out involving Oxford station) it was much nicer than the SSP places in the same area.

I note the honourable gentleman of Bletchley mentioned Puccinos, and I haven't been there for a long time. I have missed them, and just the mention of them or sight of one of their outlets usually has me wanting to go there. Which is the case right now, I want to go right now and have a Puccinos coffee Bit of an expensive coffee that would be, given it would mean a visit to the London area

Anyway, enough about me and my love of a particular coffee place. We'd best not talk too much about Pret either, I'm due to go past one of their places tomorrow and I'm already looking forward to a visit! AMT, to get myself back on topic, will be a much missed sight. With the new owners' reputation, I won't be rushing to visit any that remain open unfortunately.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I always preferred making and drinking my own coffee in the morning at home before leaving rather than buying one at the station.

I prefer one on the train, though making a cafetiere takes a couple of minutes. I am more likely to buy on the way home or mid journey.

 

[Techniquest]

I prefer one on the train, though making a cafetiere takes a couple of minutes. I am more likely to buy on the way home or mid journey.

I make a coffee before leaving the house now too, it's not a long journey to the station so it's not a major inconvenience like it was in the past. Especially now takeaway coffee is really expensive, £2.29 in Morrisons for a medium sized americano (just over the road from Hereford station) so by making a coffee before I head out I save at least that much.

Obviously, when out on a full day of travel/exploring, that option goes out of the window!

 

[mikeg]

Used to like AMT for their milkshakes but last time I visited the York one with a work colleague they'd stopped doing them. This really doesn't bode well.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I always preferred making and drinking my own coffee in the morning at home before leaving rather than buying one at the station.

True, but unless you've got a decent travel flask it won't stay hot for the train.

I work in a Costa in a railway station, and we find people come to us more so than Pumpkin because a) we're open not on platform, b) we're actually cheaper and c) people tend to stick with chains more because they know what to expect!

 

[westv]

True, but unless you've got a decent travel flask it won't stay hot for the train.

That's why I drank it at home before leaving.

 

[ValleyLines142]

That's why I drank it at home before leaving.

Fair enough, however I personally like to have mine whilst on the train (as well as before I leave the house!).

 

[Steddenm]

The AMT at Dublin Connolly was open yesterday but had a sign saying "cash only due to a technical fault", but today its closed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

True, but unless you've got a decent travel flask it won't stay hot for the train.

You can buy one for the price of three days' coffee shop coffees.

 

[bspahh]

True, but unless you've got a decent travel flask it won't stay hot for the train.

I've got a couple of Contigo Byron mugs. They keep coffee hot enough to be nice to drink for several hours, and warm for a while after that. The lid is secure enough so that you can shake it upside down, and it won't leak. There is a seal around the thread which can sometimes pop out, so when you have filled it up, its a good idea to tip it upside down to check for a leak.

The normal price is £12.50 in Tesco or Asda, but you can get them for less if you are patient. In any case, it will pay for itself quickly.

 

[dk1]

I noticed that the two AMTs at Cambridge (one on platform 4, one on 7/8) were closed on Monday, with a note on the door saying they had gone into administration. I guess those are 2 of the 18 that aren't staying open then.

As I'm not a coffee drinker, I can't say I'd ever used them myself, but they did seem fairly popular.

Ironically all 3 at Cambridge station closed but Norwich has continued trading.

 

[Magdalia]

I noticed that the two AMTs at Cambridge (one on platform 4, one on 7/8) were closed on Monday, with a note on the door saying they had gone into administration. I guess those are 2 of the 18 that aren't staying open then.

As I'm not a coffee drinker, I can't say I'd ever used them myself, but they did seem fairly popular.

The AMTs at Cambridge have been closed for at least 2 weeks.

I'm not a coffee drinker either, but I drank a lot of their tea, and they were top of the chart for hot chocolate with cream.

If I had time then I also used the AMT at St Pancras near the EMR platforms which was a great place to sit and watch the world go by, especially if the sun was shining through Barlow's trainshed roof.

Low quality and high prices, in my experience. The Pumpkin at my local station is never visited by myself these days

Pumpkin's pricing is very expensive. In the olden days Bite Card discount brought Pumpkin prices in line with competitors, but then they reduced the discount and that no longer applied. There were 2 Pumpkins that I particularly liked, which were Northampton and Peterborough. Both used to have very good cakes, but its a long while since I visited either.

 

[Ibex]

Watford Junction's AMT site is now a Costa, full circle as that was what AMT replaced!

 

[MikeWM]

Ironically all 3 at Cambridge station closed but Norwich has continued trading.

Ah, is/was the one adjoining the waiting room on platform 1 also an AMT? I wasn't sure, and I didn't go down to the London end of the platforms on Monday.

I tried to have a look at the 'stations made easy' on NR's site, but that's taken a massive step backwards from how it was a few years back...

 

[flythetube]

The AMTs at Cambridge have been closed for at least 2 weeks.

I'm not a coffee drinker either, but I drank a lot of their tea, and they were top of the chart for hot chocolate with cream.

If I had time then I also used the AMT at St Pancras near the EMR platforms which was a great place to sit and watch the world go by, especially if the sun was shining through Barlow's trainshed roof.


Pumpkin's pricing is very expensive. In the olden days Bite Card discount brought Pumpkin prices in line with competitors, but then they reduced the discount and that no longer applied. There were 2 Pumpkins that I particularly liked, which were Northampton and Peterborough. Both used to have very good cakes, but its a long while since I visited either.

For those those who still hold Bite Cards these are still accepted at most SSP locations including some outside. London that aren’t mentioned on the Bite website.

Discount is 10%

Unfortunately Bite stopped issuing cards new customers a few years ago.

If working on the Station with recognisable ID, then some outlets will give 20% discount, even outlets that are not part of Select Service Partners.

If you have a Pret at the station, there is a £25 a month subscription service which allows you up to 5 Barista made drinks a day (half hour interval between them), so if you took full advantage that’s @150 coffees a month for £25 and the first month is half price so just £12.50.

Recently introduced is also a free drink for someone with you, can’t remember if this is just one or two ‘friend’ coffees per week included with the Pret Subscription.

 

[Magdalia]

Ah, is/was the one adjoining the waiting room on platform 1 also an AMT?

Yes.

 

[STINT47]

so if you took full advantage that’s @150 coffees a month for £25 and the first month is half price so just £12.50.

If doing this customers are advised to check that the station toilets are open before ordering .