Discussion
I had to pop to the local laundrette today as I had a couple of items that are too big to pop in my washing machine.
It's the only one in my town and I'd say I live in a reasonably affluent area with a few "rough bits" so I'd kind of assumed most houses would have washing machines.
Got chatting to the lady who works there and she was explaining they do around 120 service washes on an average day and I think she said they do around 125 loads every week for the local Premier Inn and a couple of local sets of brand new retirement flats (these aren't cheap they're about £400K and I think around £300/month service charge and I found out they don't even come with plumbing or space for a washing machine).
Those surprised me as I assumed those businesses would contract out to some sort of national laundry chain if such a thing exists.
She also explained that one of the reasons they do so well is they're owned by an engineer so when a machine breaks he fixes it quickly and personally and saves on the charges that have apparently done for a few other similar businesses.
In short she made it sound like a little goldmine where so long as you keep the machines working and do a good job it just keeps on ticking over generating money.
Does anyone have any experience of owning or running one?
It's the only one in my town and I'd say I live in a reasonably affluent area with a few "rough bits" so I'd kind of assumed most houses would have washing machines.
Got chatting to the lady who works there and she was explaining they do around 120 service washes on an average day and I think she said they do around 125 loads every week for the local Premier Inn and a couple of local sets of brand new retirement flats (these aren't cheap they're about £400K and I think around £300/month service charge and I found out they don't even come with plumbing or space for a washing machine).
Those surprised me as I assumed those businesses would contract out to some sort of national laundry chain if such a thing exists.
She also explained that one of the reasons they do so well is they're owned by an engineer so when a machine breaks he fixes it quickly and personally and saves on the charges that have apparently done for a few other similar businesses.
In short she made it sound like a little goldmine where so long as you keep the machines working and do a good job it just keeps on ticking over generating money.
Does anyone have any experience of owning or running one?
I worked on a future energies project for Sony a few years back. One of the predictions that the exercise came up with for conurbations anyway was a switch to community ownership of big industrial machines (like clothes washers) that would be running efficiently all the time, rather than loads of individually owned smaller machines that only get used once in a while.
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hstewie said:
hstewie said: Jesus Blackpuddin please delete that before the "15 minute cities you will own nothing and be happy" lot see it and think the WEF are coming to take away their Miele 
Ha ha yes sorry but of the five scenarios it was the most likely sounding one, to me anyway but what do I know. It's hard to remember the detail but at least one and possibly two of the scenarios fell into the 'too scary to publish' category. 
Yes my missus doesn't seem happy if ours isn't running, even if it's only one pair of underpants and a sock, anything constitutes 'a load' apparently. I'd cynically assume the retirement flats have their own over-priced laundry service so design flats without a washer. Maybe the residents have found a cheaper option. Why do people sit in launderettes and watch their washing instead of getting on with something else and coming back when it's finished?
bigpriest said:
I'd cynically assume the retirement flats have their own over-priced laundry service so design flats without a washer. Maybe the residents have found a cheaper option. Why do people sit in launderettes and watch their washing instead of getting on with something else and coming back when it's finished?
I heard it through the grapevine that they're hoping Nick Kamen pops in to wash his 501s 
bigpriest said:
I'd cynically assume the retirement flats have their own over-priced laundry service so design flats without a washer. Maybe the residents have found a cheaper option. Why do people sit in launderettes and watch their washing instead of getting on with something else and coming back when it's finished?
Someone might nick their stuff. A self service one has recently opened in a shopping centre in the city I live in, I thought it seemed a little strange at first but then there are thousands of modern apartments from professional lets to student lets and I guess amongst all that there must be a demand for them?
I noticed as I walked past yesterday most of the machines appeared to be running a wash.
I noticed as I walked past yesterday most of the machines appeared to be running a wash.
This was very much a traditional "Dot Cotton" type laundrette right down to the wooden benches.
Like I said just a fascinating conversation and whilst I doubt I'm about to go and buy a laundrette those constant steady cashflows come rain or shine did give the impression that they could be a "get rich slowly" goldmine done right.
Like I said just a fascinating conversation and whilst I doubt I'm about to go and buy a laundrette those constant steady cashflows come rain or shine did give the impression that they could be a "get rich slowly" goldmine done right.
Blackpuddin said:
I worked on a future energies project for Sony a few years back. One of the predictions that the exercise came up with for conurbations anyway was a switch to community ownership of big industrial machines (like clothes washers) that would be running efficiently all the time, rather than loads of individually owned smaller machines that only get used once in a while.
This is exactly how things used to be for quite a lot of people, especially in cities- wash houses. There's a video I remember watching about one in Nottingham that was still operating up until the late 70s:https://www.macearchive.org/films/atv-today-280319...
JimmyConwayNW said:
I've noticed lots of launderettes opening recently and seen quite a lot of banks of 6/8 machines in petrol station forecourt / nisa local car parks.
Not just in povvo areas either.
Seem to be making a bit of a comeback.
For washing stuff too big and heavy to go in a normal washing machine.Not just in povvo areas either.
Seem to be making a bit of a comeback.
https://www.revolution-laundry.com/en-uk/
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