# London Coffee Festival 2015 tickets



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Is there likely to be any Forum offer on tickets for this? I just picked up a copy of Caffeine and see that they are offering two tickets for £20.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Hi Phil

No further discounts are applicable

Those discount levels are the minimum we have found this year also


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Still think it is ridiculous they don't offer a day ticket.

I felt the ticket prices were far too high for what was on offer last year, probably not going to bother this year. Several people I have spoken to agreed.

Alegra must be rolling in it....


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Yeah I agree Aaron, had a look on Friday as was thinking of going down and making a weekend of it, to not offer a full day ticket is strange but then maybe they want to control the flow of people through the day?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

froggystyle said:


> Yeah I agree Aaron, had a look on Friday as was thinking of going down and making a weekend of it, to not offer a full day ticket is strange but then maybe they want to control the flow of people through the day?


They want to maximise the amount of profit they can make.

FWIW you could easily blag a trade pass for the industry days, just make something up!


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

If you look at some of the free passes given away to bloggers with quite poor standard of writing, it makes you even madder


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Glenn's post apart, I didn't realise that I was wandering into a controversy over this. I hadn't looked to see what a ticket bought, as it were. Given the cost of most events in London, £10 seemed okay. (A day ticket for the London bike show is is £17 - without discount.)


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Can't honestly say I've actually paid for a ticket to the LCF since it's opened. Always seem to get freebie tickets to the Industry days. Didn't realise it was that expensive, but I suppose that it's quite a large venue in London.

Got to be in London for an evening event on one of those days anyway, so it gives me something to do during the day.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Flibster said:


> Can't honestly say I've actually paid for a ticket to the LCF since it's opened. Always seem to get freebie tickets to the Industry days. Didn't realise it was that expensive, but I suppose that it's quite a large venue in London.
> 
> Got to be in London for an evening event on one of those days anyway, so it gives me something to do during the day.


tbf you were working very hard last year!


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

I've been to a couple of food festivals and come away wondering why I have paid for the privilege of going shopping. I then usually spend money to justify buying my admission which is an incredibly false economy.

Having said that I am happy to attend this event if I may learn something and get a few free shots.

My question is whether the festival is a posh market designed to make as much cash as possible or a social event for coffee enthusiasts?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

paul whu said:


> I've been to a couple of food festivals and come away wondering why I have paid for the privilege of going shopping. I then usually spend money to justify buying my admission which is an incredibly false economy.
> 
> Having said that I am happy to attend this event if I may learn something and get a few free shots.
> 
> My question is whether the festival is a posh market designed to make as much cash as possible or a social event for coffee enthusiasts?


posh market designed to make as much cash as possible

^^^

You pay for a 3 hour ticket, the traders pay to be there. Alegra make £££.

Last year the big room was dominated by brands like Starbucks and was rubbish, the small room had some great traders in it who were bringing some good products to the market and showing them off (Londinium, Made By Knock etc) but was quite busy generally. Some places knocked out free coffee, some charged (which is OK with me considering they had to pay to be there).

The make better coffee bar was trying to teach people the joys of aeropress and chemex etc but again was very busy. Other than that it really wasnt worth it.

The food offering was good, I enjoyed watching what I could of the UKBC (will be Coffee Masters instead this year), had a few nice drinks in the bar downstairs.

If you are London based I'd pop in, not worth the time and money of getting in from another city though.

I think its intended to be more industry based, but a lot of people I know in Speciality coffee have no desire to go this year either after visiting before.

It did annoy me they gave away a lot of free tickets to bloggers who generally had nothing to do with and not much of an idea on speciality coffee.


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## paul whu (Sep 25, 2014)

Thanks for that. I'll probably give it a miss in that case.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

I'll go in any case but your post, Aaron, has led me not to build up my expectations. I was anticipating a social event and learning/tasting something(s) new. In other respects this what all these big events are though, aren't they? I have been to any number of bike shows, art fairs, food and drink things - not necessarily posh markets but generally they exist to focus on marketing and make money.


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## MrShades (Jul 29, 2009)

.... and don't wear a big thick jacket - it was damn hot in there last year!


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## CallumT (Aug 23, 2013)

I reckon ill be giving it a miss unless asked to work; Enjoyable thing to work at but I stood a watched way too much shepherding of paying ticket holders for me to consider paying, considering like everyone has already mentioned pay to visit / pay to exhibit


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## bongo (Apr 20, 2014)

It sounds like there's a need for an invite only event?

Do people think there is enough interest to warrant an event focussed on the home enthusiast rather than corporate? Just a thought...


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

To be fair it was sociable in that I got to meet some very nice people like Coffeechap, Cam, Callum, Fran, Londinium Reiss, the guys from Origin & catch up again with Has Bean Steve and probably others I have missed (sorry!).

I enjoyed watching the UKBC too, and attending In My Mug live.

It was very busy though, I hated the 3 hour slots (had a ticket for each in the end), I didn't really leave with any additional knowledge, I felt it could have been so much more.

If you just wanted to drink and chat tasty coffee IMHO you'd have a much better experience going on a coffee crawl around London instead.


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## Grimley (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm planning on going to this this year, out of curiousity if anything. I dont plan on staying more than 3 hours anyway as I'll end up getting bored.


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Very similar experiences on my part too. I've been to three now and although I agree in the sense that it's pretty out of order charging people to go shopping, it was far better organised i.e. having the downstairs level to filter down too. That being said, 3 hours is stupidly short if you want to actually view any of the competitions etc. and it is frustrating being shepherded.

I just go and soak up all the shiny looking machines and enjoy being surrounded by all the coffee hardware! It's also nice to meet a few people from the forum and chinwag about it after.

I'd much rather attend a UKCF based event like the grindoff though!


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Spune - nail on head.... My thoughts mirror this. I'm not fused about going this year - unless I can blag a freebie


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

MrShades said:


> .... and don't wear a big thick jacket - it was damn hot in there last year!


 Ah.. this is where the forum T-shirt will come into its own.


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> Ah.. this is where the forum T-shirt will come into its own.


Whatever happened to them?? Summers coming... I need some new tee's


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Daren said:


> Whatever happened to them?? Summers coming... I need some new tee's


Glenn is still picking the cotton.


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> Glenn is still picking the cotton.


What... In the field?


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

I'd go to meet up with forum members, have some coffee and talk all things coffee related, although I do agree not being charged a tenner would be nice then again, say we all went out on a cafe crawl in London, I bet we could easily fit in 4 coffee drinks during the day, which would in effect be around £10. I guess it sort of makes sense right?

T.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

dsc said:


> I'd go to meet up with forum members, have some coffee and talk all things coffee related, although I do agree not being charged a tenner would be nice then again, say we all went out on a cafe crawl in London, I bet we could easily fit in 4 coffee drinks during the day, which would in effect be around £10. I guess it sort of makes sense right?
> 
> T.


You will have to spend money inside if you want 4 drinks, and tickets work out at £12.75 with booking fee

It is nice to meet up with forum members there though.


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Argh most of the coffees I got were free a few years ago. I guess things changed...

T.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Well, I now have my tickets for the festival - and they me cost nothing... because our daughter bought them for me (and one for her) as a present. I'm interested to see on the tickets that 50% of the standard ticket value goes directly to support Project Waterfall.


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## Mint_Sauce (Nov 15, 2013)

I keep ending up not going to LCF year after year for one reason or another. I'm getting the feeling it's not going to be worth going judging by the replies here but I was thinking about finally making the effort to jump on a train. If you hadn't been before and were just a coffee enthusiast and not in the business, is it worth going along to even the once?


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

Just got an email through from the LCF people offering VIP tickets.

Ooooohh....









£45 for fast track entry, hospitality suite and a premium tote bag. Wow...

I'll stick with the industry days thanks.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Mint_Sauce said:


> I keep ending up not going to LCF year after year for one reason or another. I'm getting the feeling it's not going to be worth going judging by the replies here but I was thinking about finally making the effort to jump on a train. If you hadn't been before and were just a coffee enthusiast and not in the business, is it worth going along to even the once?


 I've not been before and I am going on the basis that even if I only go once, I'll get something from it.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Flibster said:


> Just got an email through from the LCF people offering VIP tickets.
> 
> Ooooohh....
> 
> ...


So, I wonder if 50% of that goes to Project Waterfall.


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

At least the VIP ticket includes full day entry...


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

spune said:


> At least the VIP ticket includes full day entry...


You sure?

They are trying their best to avoid that.

Unless you write a blog of course, even if its awful you can have a free ticket then...


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

aaronb said:


> You sure?
> 
> They are trying their best to avoid that.
> 
> Unless you write a blog of course, even if its awful you can have a free ticket then...


According to an email I received, yeah...


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

Anyone know how to get free tickets for blog writers?


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

simontc said:


> Anyone know how to get free tickets for blog writers?


Did you try emailing them?


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

Nope- just wondered if anyone knew if there was a particular way to go about the request from them. Will try an email now...


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

simontc said:


> Nope- just wondered if anyone knew if there was a particular way to go about the request from them. Will try an email now...


Just email them with details of which blog you run.


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

Done- cheers chaps; I work in a super bureaucratic field where there are particular ways of doing everything. It clouds my common sense sometimes


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## Jerry (Aug 28, 2014)

I was also thinking of going with a couple of friends is it worth it for an educational point of view (I would like to learn how to use a chemex before I buy one) and to find different bean roasters?


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

Im headin' down. Scored some blog tickets







I wouldn't pay for a half day though


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

Jerry said:


> I was also thinking of going with a couple of friends is it worth it for an educational point of view (I would like to learn how to use a chemex before I buy one) and to find different bean roasters?


Yeah good call. The Make Decent Coffee lounge should help you out a lot.

Plus speaking to roasters and companies directly is a good way of seeing if they'll suit.

They may give you some samples if you ask nicely


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