Are sugar-free sweeteners/ syrups readily available for coffee/tea in shops?

Sugar free sweeteners, no problem. Flavored syrups some places.

The UK has a sugar tax so sugar free is everywhere

I believe it is mostly saccharine, at least in the small packets in coffee shops. Maybe aspartame as well.
I bring my own Stevia powder.

Define relaxed coffee shop.

You can buy stevia in supermarkets but that won’t usually be the sweetener that is offered in cafes. Some form of sweetener is always available in cafes. As a nation, Brits are overweight like Americans and therefore always dieting.

I stopped at Wellington Coffee on George St. (near St. Andrew Square) and enjoyed it. Not sure if it would qualify as relaxed but not frenetic either. I'm sure you can find something there, though - as I recall, there were quite a few coffee shops in that area.

Any supermarket, even the very small ones, will have something

Sorry to piggyback on this, but what the hell. Is vinegar available in small grocery stores? I'm a big vinegar guy.

Thank you all.

It seems like I'm not going to have much trouble, and if I have a need, I can probably stop by a grocer and get something to take with me.

@claudia: I guess a relaxed coffee shop is a pretty ambiguous term.

I probably mean ANY coffee shop. Just not a specialty shop that requires a reservation or is fancy or something.
I just want to be able to walk in, maybe sit for a few minutes and plan out the first part of a day and liesurely drink a coffee with my wife.

@BigMikeWestByGodVirginia:

Is this sarcasm? It seems like sarcasm.

Unless maybe you really are a vinegar fan. After all, there are people who will carry their favorite brand of hot sauce around with them, so why not?

If it IS sarcasm, maybe you didn't read my post fully. I have been to countries where sweeteners other than sugar are essentially non-existent. I am asking the question to legitimately understand if it is something that I need to bring with me or if it is something I can get in Scotland.

@Mardee : Wellington seems perfect. And even has a little outdoor area I see. Nice!
Thank you!

Almost all hotel rooms in Scotland have a kettle in the room with coffee, tea, milk and sweeteners. There is usually some type of sugar free sweetener. You could grab a couple of extra and carry them with you just in case.

Just ask and the hotel will give them to you.

I'm in Scotland now and my hotel offers Sucralose in the rooms.

Got it regarding “ relaxed “ coffee shop.

If you are concerned small packets are easy to pack to take with you.

I always pack my own coffee, small cup filters and enjoy a cup in my room to start my days when I’m in the UK.

I carry a coffee mug bought at the 99 cent store and leave it in my hotel room when I fly home.

Sorry to piggyback on this, but what the hell. Is vinegar available in small grocery stores? I'm a big vinegar guy.

Yes.

Dr. Toonz, no, I was being serious. I'm also disappointed when the only artificial sweetener is that nasty saccharin.

Golden Girl, thank you.

Mike, you might want to start your own threads for these questions. That's generally what most people do rather than piggyback on someone else's question. That way avoids misunderstandings as well.

I always bring my own Splenda. It the only think I like. There are portable splenda drops that come in a container smaller than a container of tic tacs that will last my whole vacation.

Hi, DrToonz,

Costa Coffee is generally fairly laid back, so that would be a good option. Most towns have a tearoom, where it's possible to get a coffee and a scone or some sort of sweet. Personally, I'd go for the millionaire's shortbread if it's available.

@BigMike, You're probably going to find malt vinegar in the shops. The kind that they use on fish and chips.

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

Personally, I'd go for the millionaire's shortbread if it's available.

The crack cocaine of Scotland!

actually the malt vinegar in chippies is not even a distant cousin to traditional vinegar. It is made in an industrial process, contains no malt, no vinegar.

Hi, Mardee,

Actually, the crack cocaine of Scotland is tablet, AKA the dentist's best friend. :)

Mike (Auchterless)

Actually, the crack cocaine of Scotland is tablet, AKA the dentist's best friend. :)

Mike, you have me there. I actually brought some tablet back for my son-in-law and he was ready to hop on the next plane to get more. 🤣

Hi again, Mardee,

I hope that you brought back some of the homemade tablet, and not the supermarket kind, like Mrs Tilly's! There's a world of difference.

You can save your son-in-law a fortune in air fare by making tablet at home. It's actually fairly simple. There are several recipes on line, but most of them involve the following ingredients:

Two pounds of sugar (now you know why it's the dentist's best friend!)
One cup of milk
One can of condensed milk
Six tablespoons of butter

If you decide to try it, let us know how it turns out!

You can tell your dentist to thank me!

Best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

I recommend making tablet too and Mike's recipe is a good start. If you find yourself on Skye and want to try some really good tablet and discover a very scenic (and almost secret) drive to get there, then check out Donnie's Wee Tablet Shed - which is an honesty box in a spectacular location. Donnie's Tablet

Not only my dentist , my cardiologist would love this as well .

Mike and Jacqui, thanks! Mike, I will definitely try that recipe - it looks wonderful! My daughter will kill me, but my SIL and grandkids will love me for it. 🤣

The opening of Lerner and Loewe's musical " Brigadoon " are the vendor's calls at MacConnachy Square , which begin the tale of a secluded Scottish village that only appears once every hundred years . Alan Jay Lerner's ode to Tablet is immortalized -

SANDY:
Now all of ye come to Sandy here,
Come over to Sandy's booth.
I'm sellin' the sweetest candy here,
That ever shook loose a tooth.
I eat it myself an' there's no doubt,
'Tis creamy an' good an' thick,
So, laddies, I hope ye'll buy me out,
'Tis makin' me kind o' sick.

As sung , it starts at 2:50 https://youtu.be/VbTytd75a0k

steven, stop it! 😊 The last time you mentioned "Brigadoon," I played the entire cast album from the remake (with Kelli O'Hara) and had all the songs in my head for weeks! But especially "Come to Me, Bend to Me," which is one of the most haunting and melodic songs ever. I do like "MacConnachy Square," though.

Hi, Jacqui (Skyegirl),

Surely that's not Donnie Munro, erstwhile politician and former Runrig frontman! I thought that he'd be keeping busy with his new band and helping his lad Calum over at Scorrybreac!

Ah well, you can't fault a man for branching out!

All the best,

Mike (Auchterless)

Mardee , At least it stayed on topic ;-)

Touché, steven! 🤣🤣🤣