Large coffee chain with 2,000 branches must close within hours
A POPULAR coffee chain with around 2,000 branches is permanently closing the doors of another point of sale today.
Costa Coffee in the Birmingham suburb of Erdington is to close for good as the chain continues to close a number of stores across the country.
Fans of the coffee shops are not happy with the closures. One caffeine lover wrote online that they would “miss going to Costa Coffee so much” and called for the stores to be saved.
A spokesperson for Costa Coffee previously said: “Our Costa Coffee store on Erdington High Street will close its doors to trading on March 3.
“Our talented team will be deployed to nearby Costa Coffee’s in the area.
“Customers can continue to enjoy their favorite Costa coffee at our Drive Thru store which has recently opened on Kingsbury Road, Erdington.”
Read more about Costa Coffee
The spokesperson added that customers could find their nearest store on the company’s website.
The news was not welcomed by Costa fans who expressed their dismay online.
One person previously wrote: “There will be nothing left up there.”
Another added: “Too bad this time next year it will be a ghost town.”
“I go there every week but it goes downhill very quickly,” said another.
Reviews for the store online describe it as “a great place to have a nice hot drink” and say the staff are “very friendly and nice”.
The closure of the store will also have consequences for the jazz band Rhythm and Bone, which has been performing on the grounds of the Costa branch for ten years.
The group announced on Facebook that their free lunch concerts are coming to an end as they struggle to find a new venue.
The band wrote: “One week left before Costa Coffee Erdington closes for Rhythm and Bone’s lunch gig.
“For the last ten times a month we have been playing. Now it’s hard to find a venue!”
They continued: “We don’t get paid for these gigs, we see them as enhancing the culture of Erdington by bringing New York Supper club music to the village.”
The store’s closure is just the latest in a series of Costa branch closures, which have seen dozens of branches close in recent months.
Costa says it regularly reviews its stores in the UK to ensure it is suitable for its communities and teams.
This includes the closure or renovation of existing stores, or the opening of new stores.
The following locations have already closed in the past year, although a few will return to their local areas.
Costa stores closed 2023/2024
Each of the closed locations has more Costas nearby, which you can find using the search function on the chain’s website.
- Coliseum Retail Park in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – June 3
- Welch Way, Witney – June 5
- Wigan City Center – June 25
- Five Rise Shopping Centre, Bingley – July 9
- High Street, Worcester – July (rescheduled to September 15)
- Lowestoft’s North Quay retail park – July 23 (refurbishment)
- Church Street, Oakham – September 15th
- West Bridgford, near Nottingham – September 22
- Commercial Street, Newport, Wales – October
- Church Street in Malvern, near Worcestershire – November 17
- Gatwick Airport South Terminal – November
- Packhorse Road, Buckinghamshire – January 10
- King Street, Maidstone, Kent – January 20
- Chiswick High Road, London – February 6
- Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh – February 15
What other food and drink chains have closed?
Food and beverage chains in general have suffered in recent months as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending money on eating out.
Businesses struggled to recover after the pandemic but were hit by rising energy bills and inflation.
Several chains have been affected, causing major brands such as Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s to close branches.
In early 2023, hamburger chain Byron Burger collapsed, resulting in the loss of more than 200 jobs.
Italian chain Prezzo also announced plans last year to close 46 restaurants due to rising energy and food costs, putting 810 jobs at risk.
Although some chains have managed to persevere, such as Greggs who announced massive expansion plans.
Bakery chains Wenzel’s the Bakers and Patisserie Valerie are also looking at opening new branches.
2