Any excuse for a cupcake!!

or two!

It was my friend Kevin's 40th birthday on Saturday so I popped to Primrose Bakery to get him a cupcake and couldn't resist picking up a few for myself and Manny and a couple of little ones for my friends Grey and Dawn.

I also had a coffee and a melting moment biscuit in their little coffee area - however it wasn't the lovely relaxing cup of coffee I was hoping for, nor was it particularly welcoming, with staff chattering over my head, and seeming perturbed at their conversations being interupted to serve myself and others that came in. One of the owners was in there when I went in and when I said "hello" (as you do when you go into a shop...or is it just me?) - I got a grunt and a forced smile - mind you I didn't take it personally after seeing their pic in the Mail.

Therefore I think this might be my last visit to the shop, which is rather unfortunate as their cupcakes are really nice and I really love the little shop with its ultra cute little cafe bit but I don't like to visit places where you are made to feel like your interrupting their day - don't run a cafe if you plan to make people feel like they've invaded your front room is my personal opinion!

I particularly found it rather perturbing that when you buy a load of cakes they don't offer a bag- not a problem to me as I always carry bags with me but the woman in front of me who bought a whole cake and a big box of cupcakes, at the cost of over �40, and wasn't offered a bag before the girl just wandered off to continue her conversation seemed rather pi**ed off - not a way to get repeat business I'd say.

Like I said the cupcakes were absolutely gorgeous - the frosting's very nice and the cakes are always fresh tasting - so at least their attitude doesn't curdle the cupcakes. Alas it does put me off visiting! There are enough other places in London that make lovely cupcakes without the attitude.

If I worked in a cupcake shop...

I'd not only be the size of a house and have to be squeezed Winnie The Pooh style through the door, I'd also be HAPPY! Imagine being surrounded by cupcakes ALL DAY! Just looking at a cupcake makes me nearly as happy as eating one..not quite, but you know what I mean!

However when I've gone to the Primrose Bakery, on both occasions its seemed like a chore to serve me, and others that are there too. I understand that I'm not quite of the ilk of their other customers, like the reputed fans Kate Moss and Sadie Frost (well I do look like I eat AND digest the cupcakes I buy rather than chew them and sick them up!) but still, I'm spending money in your store...would it kill you to be pleasant, and perhaps pass the time of day with me?!

When I first walked into their little cafe/bakery I swear I was like a kid in a candy store - the place is totally cute and full of nice little nik naks...and CAKE...but still the people working there seem harassed and perturbed. I know they're busy but seriously I'd LOVE to have the opportunity to open my own bakery and work there! I'm ALWAYS really polite to people in shops as I know how irritating it is for people to be rude to shop assistants from my time as one, and more so when it's somewhere fab like this, but I get the same kind of response from the people here as I get in Tescos! When I asked her which flavours they had on Wednesday I was thankful looks can't kill! Usually people in cupcake places are more than happy to chat with you...

For example, when we went to Bea's she came out to personally ask us did we enjoy our cakes, in Berlin's Cupcake the lady who runs it was adorable and so friendly Manny left some of his heart with her (he was quite smitten bless him!), and Crumbs and Doilies couldn't be nicer if they tried, and the same goes for all the other cupcake places I've visited, and there's been a lot!!, ....so I'm not sure what the problem with PB is..it's certainly not their cakes, which are FABULOUS...maybe we're just not "Primrose Hill" material!

Anyways here's a pic of some cupcakes I bought there earlier this week from the gruff lady there. They were really nice, but alas what sticks in my memory is their (lack of) customer service.