“Sounds like great coffee” … that’s the strap line for this latest addition to the Falkirk café scene, the Acoustic Café. Not sure what great coffee sounds like? Maybe it’s the deafening sound of their own coffee machine, it really is the loudest. However, we feel it probably indicates a bit of confused thinking around the concept of selling coffee and guitars together in the one place. 
So, is the Acoustic Cafe a coffee shop that sells guitars or a guitar shop that sells coffee, we’re not sure. It does not seem to do either particularly well … kind of falls between two stools, so to speak. As a guitar shop it has a good range of very nice guitars. All well and good you might think. We suspect, however, that more attention has been paid to this aspect of the business than the cafe side … and if anything it should be the other way round.
New startup
Some fundamentals are just not there; the coffee may sound great but what about the taste? It is not up to the standard of it’s near competitors. The staff are not trained to the same standard as it’s near competitors. The sole member of staff on two of our visits was unsure of just about everything. Worst of all, of course, the scones are decidedly average.
Not home baked, a bit dry and powdery … nowhere near a topscone. On the up-side it has a nice funky interior which differentiates it from the rest and offers loads of potential. Also, it has only been in existence for a couple of months so maybe we should cut it some slack. If it can concentrate more on the cafe side of things we hope it goes on to make sweet music and much better coffee and scones for many years to come.
More broken promises
Music to the ears! That’s what we call the Scottish Government’s stance in the negotiations with the U.K. government over settlement of the new fiscal framework for Scotland. Instead of giving the ‘sweeping new powers’ promised after the referendum, new powers will now have to be paid for through reduced funding. Not even vaguely in the spirit of the Smith Commission. Thank goodness for the SNP. If it had been up to a Labour led administration they would have undoubtedly rolled over to their London masters long ago. Scotland would be much worse off as a result.
Luthiers
To end on a high note, the Acoustic Café did manage to introduce a new word to our lexicon .. luthier; someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments, a service available through the cafe.
FK2 7AS tel: 01324 638297 Acoustic Cafe FB
My daughter and I were in there yesterday. Had excellent soup, good bread and delicious coffee. Two staff who were both friendly and did their job with a smile and politeness. Didn’t have a scone so can’t comment on that and don’t want to comment on the SNP stuff. Don’t think this is the right place for that.
Hi Fliss, glad you had a good experience at the Acoustic Cafe we really hope it is successful. We don’t just do SNP stuff on the political side, if any party has done something worthwhile (in our opinion) then we will mention it. It is a popular side of the blog which is designed to be controversial, you don’t have to agree. Thanks for commenting. All the best.
From where did you get the SNP are braw stuff in your review?
Just from the negotiations which have been ongoing for almost a year now and just completed. I think the SNP have negotiated hard and got their desired result in the end … Labour would have caved in to London’s demands.
Needs a wee bit of something not sure what. It’s new and hopefully it will get better as time moves on. Please please though find someone who can make you better scones.