STARBUCKS has opened in Stroud town centre.
The coffee shop - which is located at 1 King Street - opened this morning at 9am.
Following several weeks of preparations, the former Poundland and Woolworths shop has now been transformed into the coffee shop.
It comes after over 3,500 people signed a petition to prevent the chain from opening in the new Five Valleys Medical Centre.
Employees at Starbucks said they are 'thrilled' by the new store and said they can’t wait to welcome everyone.
One of the customers this morning was Jess Cantoni and her three-year-old son Joseph.
She said she was ‘surprised’ to see the shop open
“It was something easy and different to do today with Joseph.
“I was so surprised to see it here this morning.
“The shop is in a good location which means it's just easier and convenient as I can’t drive.
“I do like the other coffee shops as we go to the independents as well.
"You’ve just got to support everyone but I don’t think it’s going to cause that much disruption
“I do like Starbucks anyway, it's good!”
Another customer this morning was Margaret Smith who said she would be coming back with her family.
"I normally always go to Costa, but today I thought I’d try the new Starbucks," she said.
“I wanted to come in because I knew it was going to be nice and warm.
"It’s absolutely lovely, the shop is so nice.
“My whole family loves Starbucks so I know we’ll all come back together.
“I don’t know why there was a petition.
“There’s a coffee shop in Sanderson’s and there wasn’t a petition then.”
Mobile ordering at the shop is due to start from tomorrow with Uber Eats
It also has free wifi - but controversially the shop doesn’t accept cash and only takes card payments.
Starbucks will be open from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday.
On Sundays and public holidays it will be open from 8am to 6pm.
A planning application to put up Starbucks signage was previously submitted by Dransfield Properties - owners of the Five Valleys Shopping Centre - in the summer.
Originally the developers had intended that the King Street unit would be a pharmacy however they said that no pharmacy in the town centre had been willing to relocate.
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