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.

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.

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.



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

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

ukleaf.

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

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

It would probably be the lead store

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

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. :-)

Go on do it you know you want to

have you ratted on them yet ?

let us know what happens !

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.

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.

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...

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

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 !