Better an empty store than another coffee shop in town that’s frothing over

Officials’ decision to reject café highlights plight of Britain’s high streets as consumers head online

THE high street was once somewhere to go to enjoy a spot of shopping before returning home for a cup of coffee and a rest.

But some high streets are becoming a destination primarily for coffee drinkers, with former shopping streets now overrun with cafés while shoppers stay at home and order items online.

The abundance of coffee shops has caused many people to question whether they have reached “saturation” point.

In one town, the situation has become so bad that local officials decided to leave a store empty rather than allow another coffee shop to open. Christchurch in Dorset has 14 coffee shops on a 550-yard stretch on its high street, an average of one every 38 yards.

The matter came to a head when Coffee#1, the beverage chain, sought planning permission to turn a former shoe shop that has been empty for a year into another of its outlets.

The application left rival café owners in the normally genteel coastal town frothing with rage. Local residents also objected, saying they have had their fill of coffee shops.

Among the trendy establishments already on the high street are chains including Caffè Nero and Costa, as well as independent businesses.

The list does not include Greggs or Subway which also serve an array of coffees such as lattes and cappuccinos.

Christchurch has the highest population of elderly people in Britain, with 30 per cent of its 46,000 residents aged over 65.

But one local café owner said that even the large customer base of tealovers with time on their hands is not enough to keep them all going. Mike Ismail, owner of Baggies café, said: “There are 28 food outlets just in the core part of High Street and 14 of those are cafés or coffee shops.

“To have that many in a town centre of this size is a crazy situation.

“When I first started in 2012 business was booming, but it has become reality tough and is becoming a struggle year on year.

“The footfall has reduced hugely because there are too many of us. Having another coffee shop open would have taken maybe five customers away from each of the existing coffee shops.”

Councillors at Christchurch borough council voted to refuse permission for the new coffee shop.

Peter Hall, a town centre councillor who objected to the application, said: “There was quite strong feeling from local café owners and residents that enough is enough.

“There are quite a few empty shops, but another coffee shop won’t solve that.”