Fairly Square

Coffee shop
Holborn

Coffee is a subject people can get very emotive about. Drinkers are passionate about the quality and variations of the beans, the type of roasting process the beans go through and the preparation that goes into making your cup of morning juice. More than ever though, coffee lovers are becoming more and more concerned about the ethical implications, making sure that the growers are getting a fair price for their crop and not being ripped off by major multinationals. Coffee with a conscience isn't just a passing trend; a fair trade revolution has been occurring for a number of years and is now as important as taste and value.

New Holborn coffee shop, Fairly Square, however, prides itself on being concerned about a little bit more than that, serving triple certified coffee, meaning that it isn't just Fairtrade, but also Rainforest Alliance certified and 100% organic. Plus, all the other drinks, food and furniture has a story behind it, being sourced with ethics in mind. The bar and flooring has all been created from environmentally friendly reclaimed wood and even the paint is eco-friendly.

At present, the coffee shop is open from 8am daily serving hot drinks, soft drinks, food and cake, but soon as a permanent licence is granted it will also mean that Fairly Square will be able to serve alcohol. Already lined up to appear behind the bar is a selection of wine from Running Duck, a South African vineyard that specialises in pesticide free organic wine, and Whitley Neill gin, a fruity spirit made with exotic baobab fruit. Food comes from Eco Cuisine, an ethical food supplier which uses entirely British ingredients, with delicious cake provided by Cuppidy Cakes.

The shop, on Red Lion Street between High Holborn and Theobald's Road, is minimalist and stripped back, with the reclaimed timber bar providing a centrepiece to the room. The addition of comfier seating would make this the ideal place to spend an afternoon, either with friends or with a laptop cracking on with some work while being fuelled by caffeine and cakes.

If you're bored with the corporate atmosphere in the mainstream coffee chains, then Fairly Square looks set to be your new favourite hang-out. Not many places in London care about their products and their business like the staff and owners at Fairly Square, and soon their customers will be as passionate about their brands as they are about ethical responsibility.

51 Red Lion Street, WC1R 4PF