HER Cafe, Haggerston: Lindsay Crocket
HER Cafe, a coffee shop in Hackney who asked customers to “identify themselves” as Conservative voters and pay a “10% Tory tax”, has taken the sign down.
The sign placed outside the shop read: “Please could anyone who voted conservative identify themselves on entering my shop. I will be happy to apply a 10% Tory tax on your coffee. I’m sure you can understand this is one of many “tough” decisions I need to make to “balance the books” – Don’t be shy!”
The cafe has yet to receive a customer who identifies themselves as a Conservative voter.
An employee at HER said: “It’s a very Labour area so I don’t think anyone here really had a problem with it.
However there was a negative response on Twitter.
@standardnews so use another coffee shop!! Not like there’s a shortage is there!!!!
@standardnews so use another coffee shop!! Not like there’s a shortage is there!!!!
— carefree (@pmezza1970) May 11, 2015
@standardnews – I love Boris and supported Maggie, so I would probably be on 20% extra.
@standardnews – I love Boris and supported Maggie, so I would probably be on 20% extra.
— HotFridgePhotos (@TeddyPB) May 11, 2015
@standardnews And she’s a Labour voting foreigner! Go on. Act surprised.
@standardnews And she’s a Labour voting foreigner! Go on. Act surprised.
— Josh R (@Itchy_Arse_hole) May 11, 2015
@olscajoles @standardnews we want democracy but only on our terms otherwise we will deface war memorials and throw things at the police
@olscajoles @standardnews we want democracy but only on our terms otherwise we will deface war memorials and throw things at the police
— Lloyd Sampson (@LloydSampson) May 11, 2015
The cafe received no complaints saying that “most customers were supportive” but the sign was taken down today due to the Twitter responses. The café replied to the Twitter responses on the HER Facebook page saying: “Wow it’s really stirred up the social media! Just to say HER loves every customer and serves everyone equally but doesn’t mean we can’t have a view and it’s only expression everyone could make whatever side you’re on. Whole point of democracy and don’t take it personally! Peace off x”
The cafe located on Downham road, is in Hackney South & Shoreditch, one of the many London boroughs that returned a Labour MP with an increased majority receiving 30,633 votes while the Conservative party only received 6,420 votes.
