Lottery Lounge

I have long held a dream of my very own, laid back, coffee shop/lounge, which mentally I refer to as the 'Lottery Lounge'. The idea really stems from some coffee shops that I used to frequent when I lived in New York. The favourite being a place called the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn, near my old apartment. Big comfy chairs and sofas, rugs on the floor, free wi-fi, books to read and funky art on the walls - the kind of thing that Central Perk in Friends was based on (though much nicer, artier and generally funkier).

The lottery bit comes from the fact that it would never make any money, so I'd need to fund it myself rather than have it as a business which was a going concern.

My dream is currently even more alive than usual as the perfect venue is for sale - the old fire station on Perry Vale. Recently unsold at auction, surely the council would sell it off cheap to me?!

I would, rather boringly, turn the upstairs into apartments - but decent, big roomed loft spaces rather than the usual Barrat boxes. And downstairs would be my lounge. But it wouldn't just be about me. You'd be very welcome.

I'd serve fabulous coffees, hot chocolate with marshmallows in it, open sandwiches and cupcakes to stave off hunger and beer & wine would be available. Opening hours would be early to very late. But very few people would know I was the owner, as the lottery money would pay the staff bill. I'd be the girl curled up on the Chesterfield in the corner with a book on my lap and the cat at my feet.