Coffee wars? Plans for a Costa Coffee 'drive-thru' in South Shore despite McDonalds and Starbucks at the same site

Plans to build a ‘drive thru’ coffee shop at a Blackpool retail park have been submitted to Fylde Council - even though there are two similar retailers already on the site.

The plans, submitted by commercial agent Savills, reveal a Costa Coffee would be constructed at Blackpool Retail Park in South Shore if they are approved.

Part of the existing car park next to Halfords would be used for the new business, which would mean 31 less parking spaces at the site.

Savills states in the covering letter for the application letter that: “The new building is proposed to be occupied by Costa Coffee; a national multiple ‘drive-thru’ coffee shop operator.

“The proposed building and ‘drive-thru’ operation will complement the existing retail function of the wider site.”

It added: “It follows that the proposed development will not compete directly with more traditional cafes and other similar facilities within Blackpool and other defined centres.”

Despite it saying the new shop won’t compete with ‘other similar facilities’ within Blackpool, the South Shore site currently has a McDonalds and a Starbucks ‘drive thru’ is being developed at the moment.

There are around 12 retailers based at the site including The Food Warehouse, Currys PC World and Pets At Home.

Plans were approved last year for a Nandos and the Starbucks to be built on the Morrisons car park and work has already started.

The planners also believe the majority of the customer who would visit the new coffee shop would be doing so after visiting another retailer at the site.

The statement said: “It is envisaged that a significant proportion of the customers to the proposed Costa ‘drive-thru’ will do so as part of a shopping trip at Blackpool Retail Park.

“Customers may also link a trip to the site as part of an existing trip to or from work, home or other activity, thereby reducing both the number and length of private vehicle trips occurring in the area.”

It is hoped the coffee shop would be able to generate nine ‘full time equivalent’ jobs and these positions would be at ‘a range of levels of skill and seniority as well as offering full and part time opportunities’ according to the application form.