Dalkey Takes Up Arms Against Caffè Nero

The residents of Dalkey are once again at war with a multinational coffee corporation. Plans to open a Caffè Nero in the south Dublin suburb have been met with hostility, as the village prides itself on independent enterprise. The situation is reminiscent of the 13-month period in which a Starbucks outlet operated there: residents refused to grant the store any custom, and the operation folded.    Mary Caviston, the owner of the Corner Note Café in Dalkey commented on the matter: "Caffè Nero is well-established and has a lot of outlets, but it surely would have done its homework and seen that Starbucks has come and gone. Why would you pursue something in an area when it will clearly be boycotted?"   Caffè Nero confessed that it was aware of objections made by "a small number" of Dalkey residents. Defending their actions, the chain said, "Caffè Nero is an independent, family-run coffee-house business. We are listening to the concerns these residents have raised, and we will be looking to address them in the coming weeks. We opened our first Caffè Nero in Ireland earlier this year and have been delighted with the reaction."   It is understood that local businesses have requested a meeting with Jimmy Deenihan, the heritage minister, to ascertain what is and what is not  considered an appropriate enterprise in a heritage town such as Dalkey.