Timmies UK?!
 

I noticed today while out on my lunch break that there's a new shop opened up in Leeds, next to the Nandos on the road between the station and the bus station.

It's called Timmies and advertises Coffee and Doughnuts, and it's logo is red italic text on white...

Has anyone else in the Leeds area seen this shop? :O It seemed somehow startlingly familiar to a certain Canadian chain... Are they actually making a go for the UK market, or is it just a cheap imitation?

I suspect the latter, but you never know!

If I get out again later this week I shall endeavour to take photos and venture inside for proof either way. :)

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I noticed at a food festival in Cardiff last year (the week after we had been on a reccie) a stand selling Timmies. Obviously we had to have our fix. Then I found that there is a Timmies section in our local Spar, which has been there a couple of years, doesn't sell all the range but most of the donuts I like.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Guys, imagine my disappointment, there I am walking to work this morning when I walk past this place, it looks like Timmies, same font, very similar logo and they even sell some of the same stuff, although not my favourite, Sour Cream Glazed...

Anyway, I walk in and speak to the guy behind the counter, while buying a coffee (which isn't Timmies coffee) and ask him if it's the same company, the quick answer to this is that it has nothing to do with Tim Horton's and is infact a rip-off essentially, which was a HUGE let down.

A photo for your enjoyment.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgb23/2604747247/

If you can't see the photo the link to it is here (my Flickr account).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgb23/2604747247/

ukleaf.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

:eek::eek::eek:

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I think you should send this picture to all the Canadian news networks and register your disgust at thss cheap imitation :thumbsup: I wonder if the "real" Tim Horton's are aware of this.:eek:

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

That would be funny! It would probably make it onto the National news!

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

It would probably be the lead store:rofl:

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

That would be no surprise. 2 Weeks ago the most important new story in the national media was the hockey song.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Do you think they would send me some free coffee... :-)

I don't want to rat them out, the owner is probably some dude who loves TH's as much as I do, just wants to recreate it in Leeds... Having said that, they are giving Tim Horton's a bad name, yeah, I may email the Toronto Sun after all. :-)

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Go on do it you know you want to:sneaky:

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

have you ratted on them yet ?

let us know what happens !

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Ha ha, not yet, although It will drop them an email or something, that's for raising my hopes then dashing them once I got in and realised I wasn't getting anything to do with Tim Horton's, sods!

I will of course let you guys know what they say.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

This thread reminds me of my first trip back to the UK, about three years ago.

My mum picked us up at Heathrow, and she likes to stop off for a coffee on the way home. Fair enough, so we pulled in to a service station on the M25.

There it was. Tim Hortons. Actual Tim Hortons with the logo and everything. They must have just opened; there was a chap dressed as a Mountie standing outside handing out free Timbits.

Except he was about 16.

And sounded *very* British, at least to somebody who'd spent the last few months in Canada. So there was me and my wife exclaiming 'Timmies!', with my mum and brother who'd come along for the ride looking on in bemusement. I think the fake Mountie was pretty confused, too.

The store was something of a disappointment. The prices were about four times what they are in Canada, and it was more or less just a doughnut stand. My mum wasn't impressed.

I've no idea whether it's still there.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I think they are still there, there are a few of those in England and some in Ireland, in the Spar supermarkets I think.

Anywho, the Star and Sun have been "tipped off" about the rogue Tim Hortons... :p

If I hear anything back (doubtful) then I will post it here.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

oooh keep us updated!

spose if they call it timmies rather than tim hortons it may be difficult for TH Ca to do any thing !

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I don't know, the logo is close enough that it had me wondering in and asking, we will see.

I had responses from both the Sun and Tim Hortons, I'll post the replies later this evening.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

OK, so this is the response I got from Tim Hortons.

I then replied with the link to flicker, to which Sheila replied;

So, there you have it, I walk by there most days so I'll keep an eye out to see if any changes take place, different logo or something...

The guy from the Sun, Kevin Hann, just asked for a number to contact me on, but so far I have heard nothing, again I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Thanks.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

But you did.

This is, without doubt, the most mean-spirited, petty, spiteful and malicious thread I've read in BE. What on earth do you gain from trying to sink a hole in somebody's newly-opened business?

Tim Horton's Inc. is big enough and rich enough to defend it's own business as it sees fit. This poor guy probably never would have been on their radar, but you can now bet your bottom dollar that some Toronto journo has passed this on to TH, whose lawyers will in all likelihood now come down on him like a ton of bricks. Maybe even close him down.

If you are SO infatuated by the Tim Horton's brand, I hope you have the courage to go in and tell the guy that it was you who grassed him up, and the reasons why.

I really am appalled at what I've read in this thread. Please do keep us updated with the consequences of your snitching.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Yeah, you are so "appalled" you want to know what's going on. I'll tell you what what appalls me shall I, people that think they have the right to sponge off other peoples hard work, yes Tim Hortons is a big brand but they are big because of the work put in behind the scenes, over a long period of time. Do you think I like companies like Microsoft who are too big, no I don't but that doesn't mean I think copying their software is right.

You mention that Tims is big enough to fight its own battles, I agree, but how would they ever know about something that isn't even in their home country? Tim Hortons, or any other company for that matter have a right to defend their intellectual property.

It's fine that you think like that, I understand where you are coming from but in the end it's about the customer, and I for one was very let down once I realised it was a cheap fake of a great brand, so I'm OK with letting Tim Hortons know.

Thanks for your comment though, I will keep you updated.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Sorry, ukleaf, but I don't buy any of that.

You didn't go into a Tim Horton's, you went into a "Timmies". You may have been disappointed that it was a poor imitation of a brand you obviously adore, but hey - on every high street there are looky-likey pizza chains and burger chains. That's just business I'm afraid. The guy obviously applied for permission to open his company and the store, so what business is it of yours?

As for "giving Tim Horton's a bad name" - how many of this guys customers in Leeds have any idea that this is an imitation of a Tim Horton's? Probably just a tiny minority.

By the way, given your highly moralistic stance, I hope you have never bought a pirate DVD or copycat watch, or any branded gear from an unlicensed market stall, nor downloaded music or movies illegally, or copied a computer game...

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I think it's my business as a consumer, this is a brand I love, I personally don't want jokers like this trying to be something they are not, that's exactly why there are copyright laws in place, to protect people and companies.

Look, I don't want them to go out of business, I just wanted to let Tim Hortons know they were there, give them a chance to protect their brand image. If a company or individual goes in to business with something they know isn't quite right then they are taking a huge risk, a calculated risk at that.

I'm not saying I'm perfect and have never done anything wrong before, don't get me wrong but the older I get the more I think about these things. If this were 10 years ago I wouldn't have battered an eyelid but things change, a persons perspective changes.

I do agree with some of the things you're saying, there are fakes everywhere, but it doesn't make it right, and I will stick up for the brands that I am fond of, whether that is a group who's music I like or a coffee shop that I only get to go in to maybe once a year.

At the very least it has sparked some debate as to whether either one of us thinks it's right to notify a business of possible copyright infringement.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

ANy way - I went to the Canadian High Comission in London today for a job interview. The interviwers had all been in Leeds last week - we were having a coffee and I said "OOh is it Timmies?" Theysaid - oh no, sorry, but do you know that there was a fake one in Leeds we saw last week!!

SO there!

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

But somehow I doubt that the CHC officers were spiteful enough to report it to Tim Horton's legal department, the Toronto Sun and the Toronto Star.

So there.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Amazing that people can get so worked up about what is probably the poorest coffee on earth.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

hmm - wasnt CHC it was Calgary City PLanners - and as us Planners are hateful old bats who hate to see people doing anything that we could possibly sting em for - yup they probably will when they get back!!

so so so there :)


Ps Souv - YOu following me ?

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

There must be worse coffee than Tim Horton's.

I know I've tasted a few, Starbucks for one.:eek:

As far as the original thread goes I don't see how people could be so stupid as to think that this particular store would have any connection to a Tim Horton's franchise.

Tim Horton's has never to my knowledge marketed itself as Timmies. Patrons may refer to it that way but the organisation itself has never been anything else but Tim Horton's.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

No.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I don't know, there are a lot of spiteful people in government, I wouldn't be too surprised. ;-)

Also, I didn't report them to the Toronto Star, it was the Sun only, just thought I would put that forward, for the sake of accuracy.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

oh - :(

thought I had my very own stalker then!;)

oh well back to the drawing board!
:cool:

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

I don't know, wouldn't it make sense for a company like that to change things slightly when trying to break a new market? The majority of people over in England don't know the legendary defence-man Tim Horton, let alone the fact that Tims is massive in Canada, a little re-branding never did anyone any harm.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

You don't mess with something that is already working well for you.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Yep I know, but what I'm saying is that in a market where small coffee chains are struggling to stay afloat it wouldn't hurt to do a little market research in that market and change your brand accordingly.

What I am saying is that it isn't out of the realms of possibility that Tim Hortons would re-brand as Timmies in another market/country, in my opinion.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

No it's not out of the realms of possibility.

But consider did McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, etc change?

No they didn't. So why would Tim Horton's.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

They couldn't.

Some dude in Leeds has already got a shop called Timmies.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Nice touch.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

No they didn't, you're correct, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen and hasn't happened with other companies looking to make a dent in another market.

It will probably never happen, still, we never know.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

KFC is called PFK in Quebec.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Aren't Lays crisps the same as Walkers crisps in England too, it's all about fitting in to markets.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Didn't Frito Lay buy Walkers?

If so, once again why mess with something that is working?

ASDA is owned by Wal*Mart no name change there either because it works for them to remain ASDA.

Re: Timmies UK?!
 

Fair enough, don't mess with things that work.