Coffee chain to open in village
COSTA coffee have confirmed plans to open a new outlet in Gatley this year.
Speculation has been building over the future of a premises in the centre of the Stockport village, which has several independent coffee shops, since a gift and card store closed more than a year ago.
Proposals for a coffee shop at the address on Church Road were approved by the council’s planning committee last month and another application has been submitted to build a two-storey extension on the side of the building, following the demolition of the current single storey extension, and rebuild the rear extension.
It also seeks to install two air conditioning units and new windows and a decision is expected to be taken at the end of this month.
Local councillor Iain Roberts hailed the success of independent coffee shops in the village but added he thought both Costa and individual retailers could still ‘thrive’.
Last month Costa’s website listed the address as one of its outlets, sparking widespread rumours in the community, but a spokesperson for the firm has since said that the store locator was ‘prematurely updated’ and at the moment the unit, formerly occupied by Occasions card and gift shop, remains empty.
However, subject to planning approval, it is hoped that a franchise of the brand will open there.
A Costa spokesperson said: “As the UK’s favourite coffee brand, Costa works closely with local planning departments to open new stores for the benefit of their local communities, creating new jobs and providing attractive and popular social meeting places.
“Gatley is one such location where one of our partners is currently finalising a revised plan for a new Costa store that we hope, if approved, will open in 2017.
“Our store locator was prematurely updated with this information.”
The current planning application states that the business will create eight full-time and four part-time jobs.
Councillor Roberts said he thinks the news is a positive for the area.
He said: “I think it is generally a good thing. One of the things that has really changed in Gatley in the last few years, as it has in many other places, is that pubs have closed but cafes have opened.
“I would hope that this will bring people into the village centre, as I want both Costa and the independent cafes to thrive.
“The independents have done well and I don’t see any reason why that shouldn’t carry