Introduction Coffee houses in United Kingdom have been around for longer than most people may not

realise especially individual like me who originated from Malaysia. It has been discovered that first coffee house was developed in Constantinople, Turkey in 1475 (Ellis, 2005, p.34). The house was named Kiva Han and coffee played a significant role to Turkish people where men were given permitted to divorce their wives if enough coffee was not supplied to them. Coffees served in Turkey originally were black and unfiltered. It has been believed milk and sugar were added circa 1529 when the first coffee houses spread across Europe. The primary ones started when Vienna was invaded by the Turkish and left coffee behind. Soon, treats and pastries were added to coffee houses and they became increasingly famous and well-known. Coffee was spread to England from a merchant who did dealings with the Turkish, whom wears the trip jars added into the mix. When time progress, coffee houses became large business from there, as they were places for upper-class people to spend time. From England, coffee houses spread to Italy in 1654, Paris in 1672, and Germany in 1673. However, during the colonization of America, coffee houses spread from English again. They became huge businesses, like in England. So far, however, there has been little discussion on the purpose of coffee house in this day and age. Hence, this paper seeks to address the purpose of coffee house in Portsmouth (Coffee Cup) through an observation conducted for 5 days which consists of 3 weekdays and 2 weekends; observation time is in the morning and afternoon (refer appendix). This paper aims to evaluate the Coffee Cup and compare the coffee houses in Portsmouth with Malaysian context. Definitions Initially, coffee houses served traditional coffee and pastries. They did not initiate selling espresso drinks until 1946 in Italy. These days, they began selling other food items. For instance, Coffee Cup in Portsmouth located within a stone throw off from the Portsmouth University Park building specialized in Italian Espresso Coffee as well offers a variety of delicious food such as Baguettes, Paninis, Jacket Potatoes, Pastries, Homemade Bread Pudding, Sausage Rolls, Pizza Bread and the list goes on. According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, coffee house is defined as

a restaurant especially in Central and Northern Europe, where people have coffee or other drinks, cakes and small meals (2011) Focusing on the definition above, through observation it has been discovered that other drinks such as Fresh Fruit Smoothies, Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Iced Coffees and several other cold drinks are served with other small meals as mentioned above but it is not a restaurant that sells cakes. Here, it is evident that definition entry in a dictionary gives a rough idea rather than providing specific detailed information about the coffee house. Through an effective approach such as observation, helps to identify Coffee Cup is a small bar that sells basic coffee as well as small meals with cheap prices. Classification and Analysis As mentioned before, observation helps to give a bigger picture about coffee houses like Coffee Cup. Apart from that, by observing Coffee Cup, the opportunity of recording and report all the findings that are true to the topic can be derived. In other words, the source is reliable for conducting an analysis which is relevant to the topic. The main idea that triggered for choosing Coffee Cup located Park building is, it is a unique and strategic shop located under a tree. It is not a building that serves coffee and meals instead a vehicle function as a shop. This factor attracts the attention to conduct an analysis about the Coffee Cup as in Malaysia the similar concept is used and it is known as Mamak stalls. Through observation, during the weekdays like Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the place in the morning is accommodated with more people compare with the late afternoon. Meanwhile, during weekends, morning is accommodated with more people and in the late afternoon a considerable number of people are customers in the Coffee Cup. The observation on the weekdays gives an overview impression that most of the people are students compared with the weekends. This is because students attending classes in Park building ought to have a cup of coffee with small meals in Coffee Cup while waiting for the lecture or after finishing their lecture. Most of the students in weekdays comprises of girls. Some boys smoke near to the Coffee Cup rather than investing in the Coffee Cup. Some tend to buy drinks and sits in the bench than the tables and chairs in front of Coffee Cup for the purpose waiting for their friends and couple to meet them. There are few people dressed up and it

seems like a professional from their gestures, having coffee with their colleague in Coffee Cup. On one occasion, it has been identified that two female lecturers buy espresso drink and walk heading Park building. As far as concern, there is no family gathering in the Coffee Cup during the weekdays. In short, couple, friends, and some professionals have been the contributor for the Coffee Cup. On the other hand, observations on the weekends provide thought that most of the customers in Coffee Cup are couples followed by the visitors of Portsmouth City Council Library which consists of mother/father/father and mother with children kindergarten kids with teacher, teenagers and a few university students. In view of all the observations, it is evident that the Coffee Cup act as a place for lunch breaks. Many of the students during weekdays spend their time and money to grab something especially a cup of coffee for their lunch break. Besides, Coffee Cup also functions as a place for relaxation. This is highlighted during weekdays when students as well as couples spend their time sitting in the chairs placed in front of Coffee Cup with some drinks while chatting. On the weekends, family who brings children for the Portsmouth City Council Library spend some time chilling in the Coffee Cup with some drinks in order to break free from the stressful weekdays with their work stress. On top of that, Coffee Cup also serves as a place for meeting purposes. During the weekdays, students tend to wait for her/his close friend near Coffee Cup for them to meet and attend the lecture together or for going shopping in the Commercial Road. Here, it is obvious that Coffee Cup be a landmark for them to meet and plan their destiny. It also happens in the weekends where most of them will be sitting in front of Coffee Cup for their friends or couple to go for weekend shopping in the Commercial Road. Coffee Cup also operates as a common place for all social class. Though in England social class is given importance in the society, Coffee Cup is a place that unites everyone without discrimination. No one looks down or bullied in this place and the place can be guarantee as a safer zone. A calm environment with trees, benches and open space provide an opportunity for everyone to spend time in the Coffee Cup.

Coffee Cup and Mamak Stalls What is Mamak? In Malaysia, the term Mamak is used to describe Tamil Muslims who owns and operate the stalls. Traditionally, Mamak stalls are located at the roadside and sometimes the stalls operate with the help of vehicle similarly with the Coffee Cup in Portsmouth. However, in this day and age, modern Mamak stalls have expended their business and set up cafe-type establishments in Malaysia. Pelita, Di Kayu and Nasmir are some of the modern Mamak restaurants name in Malaysia. Usually Mamak stalls or Mamak restaurants serve heavy meal food (creamy coconut rice, briyani rice, with different kind of of curries, roti canai, roti telur, fried noodles and the lists goes on) with a variety of drinks for 24 hours a day. 365 days a year; this is unlike Coffee Cup. Here, it is apparent that Mamak stall is different with Coffee Cup which only operates from 10 a.m to 5 p.m whereas Mamak stalls operate throughout the day. The similarities of Mamak stall with Coffee Cup is people from all kind of races, religions and ages spend their time in the stalls gossiping or chatting while enjoying the famous drink of Mamak Teh tarik (strong tea with large doses of sweetened creamer (synthetic milk made from palm oil) and evaporated milk). If Coffee Cup is famous for coffee, Mamak stalls on the other is well- known for tea. Mamak stalls functions as Coffee Cup in terms for lunch breaks, relaxation, and also as meeting purposes. However, Mamak stalls cannot be classified as safer zone as many fights occur here since it operates all day. Apart from that, Mamak stalls does not offer pork options as it is violated with Muslims religion(the major citizens religion) in Malaysia whilst in Coffee Cup a variety of Baguettes, Paninis and Sausage rolls is offered which includes pork. Conclusion It can be derived and reflect that Coffee Cup in Portsmouth is a place for everyone just as the Mamak stalls in Malaysia. From the observation, it is interesting to discover that the Coffee Cup as well as Mamak stalls function as a place for breaks, relaxation and even as meeting purposes. No matter what it functions, it is best and exciting to see a place that unites people regardless of age, religion and races; Coffee Cup and Mamak stalls miracle!

References Cambridge Online Dictionary (2011). Retrieved December 30, 2011, from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/coffeehouse?q=coffee+house Coffee Cup (n.d.). Retrieved December 23,2011, from http://coffeecupportsmouth.com/ Ellis, M. (2005). The coffee house: a cultural history [Electronic Version]. New York: Wiley & Sons.