WITH rumours that coffee chain Starbucks could soon be opening a shop in Stroud, the SNJ looks back at when Costa Coffee came to the town ten years ago.

Several traders objected to the plans for the 80-seater café in the former New Look store on the corner of the High Street and the Shambles, arguing it was not a suitable site.

Some businesses were not against the arrival of the coffee chain but argued the empty shop should be kept for one of the big fashion retailers which had reportedly shown an interest in coming to the town.

John Mills, owner of Mills Café, said: “That corner has been a fashion store since before the war.

"It is a most valuable shop space and It would be disastrous if it was allowed to go to a coffee shop when at least four or five large fashion plcs are looking at Stroud at the moment.

“I do not object to Costa coming to Stroud I just don’t think it should be on that site.”

Town centre manager Vicky Hancock asked independent traders how they felt about Costa opening a store.

She said: “The general feeling was that they didn’t want that particular unit to be lost to a coffee shop.”

Fifty-six letters of objection were sent into SDC.

But the plans were given the go-ahead two months later along with certain conditions that Costa must meet.

The store could not be used for anything other than a coffee shop and it could not open after 6pm.

The firm withdrew plans for outdoor seating in the Shambles.