‘Piped music’ irritates lovers of the traditional pub, but there is something far worse.
A quiet lunchtime. The barmaid reads a magazine while a solitary bloke at the bar stares into his lager. The only sound is the radio, but it’s not playing Classic Gold or Top 40 R&B.
“This afternoon, we’re speaking to people who’ve attempted suicide as a result of low self-esteem brought on by prolonged unemployment. Give us a call if you’ve got a story to share. Next, we’ve got Mary on the line, who recently tried to overdose on painkillers…”
You don’t get that at Costa Coffee.