Kinnettles Coffee Garden Opens

Catching the attention of many returning students is the newly arranged outdoor coffee and food space Kinnettles Coffee Garden. The Coffee Garden was established at the start of June 2024 and is open from 8am to 5pm, seven days a week. It solely Peak And Wild coffee by Matthew Algie, a sustainable Scottish coffee company striving to protect the rainforests of Scotland. 

After speaking to Anna Robb, the manager of the establishment, she explained that the garden is affiliated with Kinnettles Hotel on North Street and that the business wanted to put the outdoor garden space to use.

When addressing the outdoor seating, Anna said that, contrary to what one might think, “even when the weather is bad there are still quite a few people that like to sit in.”

In regards to the demographic of customers that come to the establishment, Anna said, “Now that students are back, there are mostly students, and quite a lot of dog walkers and people on morning walks.” She notes that during the summer it was much more mixed between locals and students.

The Coffee Garden sells doughnuts, toasties, and has a variety of coffee options. Anna noted, however, that “since the students have come back, chai has actually overtaken everything.”

When asked if she enjoys working for the establishment, Anna said, “I have really found a love for it.” In regards to the transition from the summer to the start of the academic year, Anna noted that she was not expecting all students to “all come back at once,” but emphasised that “it was fun because it was busy!”

However overwhelming the student scene may be for businesses in St Andrews, after speaking with the owner of Palompo’s Espresso Bar on South Street, Archie Renton, it appears that he believes that “the students are vital” to his business in St Andrews. Archie said, “We are quite fortunate to have a business in St Andrews. Because it's a small town, the students are a massive part of it. If you can catch even a small percentage, you will not do too bad. Then on the flip side, when the students are away we’ve got tourists, and that fills the gap.”

Palompo’s has been open since March 2023. The name comes from Archie’s Italian heritage on his mother’s side of the family. Their most frequent customer purchases are coffee, “although the sandwiches, ever since the students came back, have really picked up.” 

When asked whether it is overwhelming to run a business in St Andrews, where students are constantly running in and out of coffee shops between classes, Archie said,  “It's good, I think a lot of students quite like independent places so that they can speak and once you get your regulars they sometimes come for the coffee, but then they sometimes come in just for a chat, which is quite nice.”

While there are a variety of coffee and food options in this swarming student town, there are unique qualities that allow each one of these coffee businesses to attract customers and grow as a business in St Andrews.

Illustration by Grace Robinson