A MAJOR coffee chain with 2,000 branches is shutting one of its sites for the final time in days – as locals cry “it’s a shame”.
In a wave of closures, Brit favourite Costa Coffee has recently seen seven cafes bring down their shutters across the UK.
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The giant has seen seven branches cease trading in the last few months.
And now an eighth will close its doors for the last time this week.
Costa confirmed to The Sun that their branch in Church Street, Malvern, in Worcestershire, will shut to customers on November 17.
The site will remain open until then and is operating as normal.
A spokesperson for Costa said: “The Costa Coffee store on Church Street in Malvern will close for trade on the November 17, 2023.
“Customers can continue to enjoy their favourite Costa coffees in Malvern on Roman Way.”
Coffee lovers have taken to social media in recent days to complain of the closure.
One said: “Good grief, what’s happening to our town apparently Costa in town closing, and just seen that Superdrug are closing at lot of the stores.”
Another wrote: “Malvern is dying such a shame it used to be a wonderful place in the early 70s.”
And a third said: “I’m not surprised about Costa as every time I walk past it is empty.
“Another blow to the town.”
The coffee chain in the Coliseum retail park in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, closed on June 3.
Back on June 5 its site in Welch Way, Witney, pulled the shutters down, with customers being directed to other nearby stores.
The chain also shut up shop at its Wigan town centre branch on June 25 this year.
On July 9 Costa in Five Rise shopping centre in Bingley also shut, with coffee lovers being directed to the nearby Keighley branch.
Another cafe in Lowestoft’s North Quay retail park in Suffolk closed its doors on July 23.
The chain’s Oakham branch, in the East Midlands, will pull down its shutters for a final time on September 15 and the West Bridgford, near Nottingham, site closed on September 22.
It comes amid an ongoing battle high street chains continue to face as retailers are forced to shut for good.
Food and drink chains in general have been suffering in recent months as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s closing branches.
Back in January, burger chain Byron Burger collapsed into administration resulting in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Prezzo, the Italian chain, also revealed plans to shut 46 restaurants back in April as a result of soaring energy and food costs, putting 810 jobs at risk.
Although some chains have managed to persevere, like Greggs which plans to open 150 new sites by the end of the year.
Bakery chains Wenzel’s the Bakers and Patisserie Valerie are opening 11 branches between them in the coming months too.
Meanwhile, another huge coffee chain with over 600 UK branches has closed its doors “after many years of serving customers”.
Plus, two family favourite restaurant chains have been sold in a move that will affect 75 locations.
