Prankster's 'coffee control area' sign bans coffees in Chichester City Centre
A cheeky city prankster is poking fun at a longstanding local gripe; the abundance of coffeeshops – but it’s just one of a wide range of prank signs intended to bring a bit of levity to the historic city.
It’s a common complaint amongst Chichester residents – that the city is home to too many coffee shops.
With two Caffe Neros, two Costas, a Pret a Manger, a Marks and Spencers Cafe, several Italian restaurants and any number of small-chain and independent outlets, it’s no wonder some shoppers feels a little overwhelmed. But one Chichester resident has taken things a step further, pitching up a sign which reads ‘coffee control area. Public consumption of coffee is prohibited 5am – 10pm’ on East Street, near popular international chain Pret a Manger.
The sign appears not long after a similar sign appeared on the window of an empty unit previously earmarked for a Black Sheep Coffee outlet, but which is now set to be used for a Holland and Barrett store. The sign mocked the fact that the venue has been empty for well over a year, despite promising that the cafe would be opening ‘soon’.
Seemingly produced by the ‘Chichester anti-recreation partnership’; a parody account with 1,000 followers on Facebook, similar signs have appeared all over the city, poking fun at everything from high street shops to cricket grounds.
More recently, the prankster has made national headlines, earning recognition from the BBC’s Jeremy Vine in a brief mention earlier today (October 14), who praised the prankster’s efforts to introduce a lighthearted dimension to the city’s character.