Cereal cafe: Owner tells of 'witch hunt' that pelted windows with cereal/paint

[garbon]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cereal-cafe-owner-tells-of-witch-hunt-that-pelted-windows-with-cereal-and-paint-during-east-london-a2956501.html

Anti-gentrification demonstrators cited cafe as symbol of inequality

The owners of Shoreditch's cereal café this evening said they were attacked by an "angry mob" as anti-gentrification protesters threw paint and cereal at their windows.

Alan Keery, who runs the Cereal Killer café with his twin brother Gary, told the Standard customers had barricaded the door closed with chairs as the "f*** parade" demo began throwing paint at the windows.

"There were children there – they were terrified," he said. "The staff were absolutely terrified. It was an angry mob throwing paint at the windows. They had torches and pigs' heads.

"There were people shouting about gentrification and taking back east London.

"They'd brought cereal and they were throwing it at the shop.

"I think it's an absolute joke, a bunch of people attacking us. We're a small business. There's other big chain places around Shoreditch – me and my brother started a business out of absolutely nothing and we're trying to grow it.

"We're being targeted as the poster boys of gentrification and that's not our fault.

"London as a city is growing and Shoreditch is no different. It's just a growing city – people are going to open businesses and try things and try to better themselves.

"I can't agree with what they're doing, the way they are dealing with gentrification. It feels like it's been taken back to the Dark Ages – an angry mob with fire – it's a bit of a witch hunt. There's paint thrown at the front and they tried to break the windows.

"They were trying to bash the door down – the customers had to barricade the door.

"We get a bit of hate on Twitter but never anything like this."

The café has been dogged by controversy since opening. The brothers were last year forced to defend their prices after a Channel 4 interviewer asked whether local people could afford £3.20 for a single bowl.

A Twitter account that appeared to be live-tweeting the protest shared a picture of the café with the words: "Cereal cafe. £5 for cereal when people are starving. F*** gentrification.

"F*** cutesy boutiques and coffee shops. Homes for everyone."

Pictures showed the word "scum" scrawled on a shop window in black marker.


Demonstration: The 'f*** protest' outside Shoreditch High Street station this evening

[The Brain]

I don't think it's a witch hunt, the guys are clearly guilty. It's more mob justice.

[Capetan Mihali]

Ewe reap what ewe sew.

[Martinus]

I don't think it's a witch hunt, the guys are clearly guilty. It's more mob justice.

[11B4V]

Why cereal?

[Zanza]

What's a cereal cafe? Do they sell cornflakes or what?

[Valmy]

It does make one wonder that if wealth is getting concentrated into fewer and fewer hands and more and more of us are being pushed down into the unwashed masses where all these gentry are coming from who are moving in on everybody's territory.

[garbon]

What's a cereal cafe? Do they sell cornflakes or what?

[The Brain]

At least they're not hipsters.

[Zanza]

What's a cereal cafe? Do they sell cornflakes or what?

I see. I wasn't aware that such a thing exists. If they would add Müsli to their offering, I might go there for breakfast.

[Zanza]

At least they're not hipsters.

[Eddie Teach]

I can understand overpaying for somebody to prepare a meal for you, but this can only appeal to people dedicated to avoiding grocery shopping at all costs.

[Martinus]

It does make one wonder that if wealth is getting concentrated into fewer and fewer hands and more and more of us are being pushed down into the unwashed masses where all these gentry are coming from who are moving in on everybody's territory.

People owning several flats, I suppose. Apparently, a lot of highest value flats in centres of cities like NY or London stay empty most of the year these days, because they owners use them only rarely.

[Admiral Yi]

I can understand overpaying for somebody to prepare a meal for you, but this can only appeal to people dedicated to avoiding grocery shopping at all costs.

I can see a couple benefits.  Variety, company, and a safe haven where gentrifying hipsters don't have to watch their backs or what they say or how they say it.

Does the UK not make any cereal?

There's a Korean brand on the shelf.  "Oreo" something.  Can't make out the last character.

[Syt]

I can understand overpaying for somebody to prepare a meal for you, but this can only appeal to people dedicated to avoiding grocery shopping at all costs.

Or people who occasionally want a certain kind of cereal but don't want to buy a whole box of it that goes to waste after one or two servings.