New Starbucks could be built at Wolverhampton retail park
Plans to open a drive-thru Starbucks cafe at a retail park in Wolverhampton have been submitted to the city council.
The proposal is to develop the new cafe on part of the car park at Bentley Bridge Shopping Park in Wednesfield.
The site already has a number of restaurants including KFC, McDonald’s and Tim Horton’s, all of which have drive-thru facilities.
As well as a variety of shops, Bentley Bridge – which began development in the late 1990s – also has a bowling complex, gym, cinema and pub, supporting over 500 jobs.
A statement submitted by Quod, the agents acting on behalf of applicants Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited, said: “Bentley Bridge Shopping Park is a hugely successful retail destination located on the edge of Wednesfield and its established role supports the adjoining town centre.
“This proposal is looking to develop part of the car park for a coffee shop with a drive-thru facility. Coffee shops and other food and drink outlets are now commonplace on retail parks across the UK, serving an ancillary role to the principal retail use.
“Whilst Starbucks is currently represented within the existing cinema at Bentley Bridge, this is small and principally serves users of the cinema. In contrast, the proposed development will serve wider visitors and create the equivalent of 11 full-time jobs.
“The site measures 0.49 hectares and comprises an area of car park adjacent to Just for Pets. The proposed unit will be single storey, supported by a drive-thru facility for takeaway purposes and will result in the loss of 26 standard car parking spaces,” said the statement.
“Furthermore, the size of the proposed unit is extremely modest with a gross internal area of just 167 square metres. This is a fraction of the retail and leisure floorspace found across Bentley Bridge.”
Starbucks, which was founded in 1971, sells hot and cold drinks for consumption off the premises, along with sandwiches, other cold food and confectionery. Regarding the proposed unit at Bentley Bridge, this will also have a large element of seating where customers can consume food and drink on the premises.
