West Midlands district named hotspot for indie cafés
Area is the only one in the West Midlands named among the UK's top ten for independently run coffee shops
A West Midlands district has been crowned a hotspot for independent cafés.
Staffordshire Moorlands is the only area in the region to be named in the top 10 for indies across the UK.
According to newly published research, 95.3 per cent of its coffee shops - or 41 out of 43 - are not chain brands. It is the top district in the West Midlands and ninth overall nationally.
The next best-performing district is Herefordshire with 88.2 per cent independents but this ranks it in 38th spot nationally, followed by South Staffordshire (87.2 per cent, 48th place) and Wolverhampton (84.1 per cent, 91st place).
Shropshire - often cited as a great place for independent businesses to thrive with its plethora of historic market towns - is in sixth spot for the West Midlands and 121st nationally, with 81.6 per cent of cafés being independent.
Sandwell and Walsall sit in seventh and eighth place respectively. A total of 80.4 per cent of the coffee shops in Sandwell are independent, which places the Black Country borough in 139th spot nationally, while Walsall has 78.9 per cent indies, ranking it 156th nationally.
Across the West Midlands as a whole, 74.9 per cent of coffee shops are independent which is below the UK average of 77 per cent.
Chains hold their largest regional share in Solihull (43.8 per cent), North Warwickshire (40.7 per cent) and Stafford (38.9 per cent).
The findings come from new research published by SEO agency Dark Horse which has analysed Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland hygiene-rating records to measure the share of independent coffee shops in local authorities across the UK.
Libby Mayfield, head of marketing at Dark Horse, said: "Our research found that the UK is home to 32,957 coffee shops, 25,415 of which are independently owned.
"While busy city commuters might rely on the quick predictability of a high street chain, 359 local authorities out of a total 361 have coffee scenes that are comprised of at least 50 per cent independently run businesses.
"There's something incredibly comforting about these findings. It feels like a real celebration of the UK's love of a local café.
"The numbers prove we're choosing cosy corners, familiar faces and a flat white from a barista who agrees that syrups are for wimps.
"It really goes to show that while convenience has its place, nothing quite beats the warmth of a passionately run local spot."
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