Costa eyes up Calne for new coffee shop (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text WILTS GAZETTE to 80360 or email us
Costa eyes up Calne for new coffee shop
10:00am Friday 4th May 2012 in Calne
Calne had so far managed to avoid the influx of coffee chains that have altered the landscape of many market town high streets – until now.
The Gazette understands Costa Coffee has plans to move into two units in Phelps Parade.
It is thought CM3 general store will move down one unit and Costa will take its place.
New chamber of commerce chairman Paul Ogden said he would find it difficult to criticise the plans.
He said: “Rumours have been bandied about for months now and, as I understand it, it has been given the green light. I hope Poppins, the other coffee shop in town, keeps its own customers and I think it will.
“And we now have Stones around the corner. If I had the choice of drinking my coffee and looking out over the river or straight at other shops, I know which one I would choose.
“Some people are very angry about this proposal but that is because they feel it has been going on behind closed doors.
“The rumours have been around for four or five months and nothing has been said in public about it.
“As a town we do, however, need to be careful about where things are moving.”
The firm, which already has branches in Chippenham and Devizes, would require planning permission for the change of use of the property. Costa was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Gazette.
Comments(7)
Seether75
says...
12:56pm Fri 4 May 12
Seether75
says...
12:57pm Fri 4 May 12
Woozlewife
says...
1:21pm Fri 4 May 12
, charity shop that could come into Phelps Parade?
Stones has just started up under it's new guise and like Well Oiled Beef Hook - I agree, I'd rather drink coffee looking out on the river rather than peering into Boots or Iceland.
We have already had one big name move into Calne recently - Dominos Pizza, filling up an empty unit, then with M&Co moving into the unit which was originally meant for Woolworths, I would like to see more useful, interesting shops that could be sucessful, even if it was a small WHSmiths. Nowhere decent in Calne to buy good books!
Some shops haven't lasted long in Calne - there was a branch of Bassett Books some years ago, but it was in a poor unit which didn't suit the shop well. Then we've had a rubbish 'shabby chic' shop in the old stationers and not to mention the sad departure of the bike shop which was then replaced by a rather cheap looking occasions shop.
The whole of Phelps Parade needs a proper revamp. It's a real dive to walk through, especially when it's full of vacant units.
With talks of a large Tesco at the top of Calne, why can't more be done to make the centre of Calne more appealing to the locals and draw in customers from further afield?
Grumpy of Calne.
says...
6:25pm Fri 4 May 12
busby1980
says...
3:07pm Sun 6 May 12
tink:)
says...
9:23am Thu 10 May 12
well oill beef hooked says...
12:42pm Fri 4 May 12