5 February 2008
Welwyn Hatfield Council Council Online Planning - Decision Notice Summary
Planning Application Number: S6/2007/1662/FP
Site Address: COFFEE REPUBLIC UNIT, 4 COMET SQUARE, COMET WAY, HATFIELD Hertfordshire AL10 9RQ
Description: INSTALLATION OF SHOP FRONT
Decision Date: 20 December 2007
Decision Type: Granted
Temporary Expiry Date:
Decision Level/Committee: Delegated Decision
Conditions / Reason for Refusal: 1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission. REASON: In order to comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act (As amended)
REASONS FOR APPROVAL The proposal has been considered against national planning policy, development plan policies (i.e. Hertfordshire Structure Plan Review 1991 - 2011 & Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005 GBSP1, D1, D2, and Supplementary Design Guidance), in addition to the Human Rights Act 1998, which indicate that the proposal should be approved. Material planning considerations do not justify a decision contrary to the Development Plan (see Officer’s report which can be inspected at these offices).
APPROVED PLAN NUMBER(S): Site Location & HAT/04/07 received and dated 06 November 2007
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success” - Henry Ford. An apt dedication to the Coffee Republic rebel shareholders.
This blog is independently written and not affiliated with Coffee Republic Plc in any way
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success” - Henry Ford. An apt dedication to the Coffee Republic rebel shareholders.
*Last blog update*
28th January 2009
Coffee Republic Links
Coffee Republic Archive
-
▼
2008
(141)
-
▼
February
(14)
- CR now open in Thremhall Park!
- How many Coffee Republic's are up and running with...
- McLeish Bros set for Aberdeen... CR too?
- Rumour - CR to open in Sofia, Bulgaria in March
- CR Store to open in Bucharest, Romania
- Huge demand for CR Franchises across the Midlands
- New CR Deli - Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland
- New CR Deli to open - Merchant City, Glasgow
- Grant of Director share options
- Imminent CR Deli opening in Watford
- CR Deli in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh - Opening i...
- Wake up and smell the coffee - Coinslot International
- Coffee Republic to Open in Boutique Hotel
- New CR Deli set for Hertfordshire
-
▼
February
(14)
Financial Results - 2007
International operating stores
- Bulgaria
- Ireland
- Malta
- Romania
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
International Master Franchises signed
- Bahrain
- Bulgaria
- Ireland
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Malta
- Oman
- Romania
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
Rumours - International Master Franchises
- Czech Republic
- China
- India
Coffee Republic reborn
Coffee Republic was formed in 1995 by Bobby and Sahar Hashemi, a brother and sister who wanted to bring quality coffee from New York to Britain. They saw the opportunity for exporting the coffee bar concept to Britain. Over the past twelve years the company has been through several phases, but is now taking a radically new direction, and embarking on what may be its most exciting phase to date.
Bobby Hashemi’s instinct had been correct, and in the eight years after establishing the first ever Coffee Republic on South Molton Street in London, the company grew rapidly, growing to more than a hundred outlets and achieved a stockmarket listing. However, the company never made a profit. In the financial year ending March 2006, from a turnover of almost £15 million, the company made a loss of more than £1.4 million.
The need for change
While investors were prepared to forgive a company that was growing rapidly, their patience began to wear thin once the company started to contract as it did from 2003. The catalyst for change came from Steven Bartlett, an established retail entrepreneur. He believed that Coffee Republic could succeed in Plymouth, where he was living, and so he applied for a franchise.
He was surprised to be turned down, and so he applied again. Having been rebuffed a second time, he was much less surprised to discover an online chatroom full of highly disgruntled Coffee Republic shareholders. He became convinced that the company was not being run as well as it could and he resolved to do something about it.
Together with Peter Breach, Bartlett began to acquire shares in the company, and by September 2006, the pair owned 26 per cent of the company. Through the online chatroom they had gathered the support of a further 26 per cent of the shareholding, and so requisitioned an Extraordinary General Meeting to remove the company’s senior management.
The response from the Board was to ask Breach and Bartlett to withdraw the requisition in return for being installed as chairman and chief executive respectively. They agreed and took up their new positions at the end of October 2006.
Bobby Hashemi’s instinct had been correct, and in the eight years after establishing the first ever Coffee Republic on South Molton Street in London, the company grew rapidly, growing to more than a hundred outlets and achieved a stockmarket listing. However, the company never made a profit. In the financial year ending March 2006, from a turnover of almost £15 million, the company made a loss of more than £1.4 million.
The need for change
While investors were prepared to forgive a company that was growing rapidly, their patience began to wear thin once the company started to contract as it did from 2003. The catalyst for change came from Steven Bartlett, an established retail entrepreneur. He believed that Coffee Republic could succeed in Plymouth, where he was living, and so he applied for a franchise.
He was surprised to be turned down, and so he applied again. Having been rebuffed a second time, he was much less surprised to discover an online chatroom full of highly disgruntled Coffee Republic shareholders. He became convinced that the company was not being run as well as it could and he resolved to do something about it.
Together with Peter Breach, Bartlett began to acquire shares in the company, and by September 2006, the pair owned 26 per cent of the company. Through the online chatroom they had gathered the support of a further 26 per cent of the shareholding, and so requisitioned an Extraordinary General Meeting to remove the company’s senior management.
The response from the Board was to ask Breach and Bartlett to withdraw the requisition in return for being installed as chairman and chief executive respectively. They agreed and took up their new positions at the end of October 2006.
Fool.co.uk Headlines
Latest hospitality news from CatererSearch