Petition to stop coffee shop plans

7:00pm Thursday 25th October 2012 in Evesham By Sarah Taylor

MORE than 250 people in Pershore have signed a petition calling for planners to reject proposals for a new High Street coffee shop.

The application from Coffee#1 Limited could see the former Ezee PC’S shop at 12 High Street, converted into one of the chain’s outlets, but existing cafes and tea rooms in the town are calling for the plans to be thrown out.

Sarah Yetman, of Sarah Jaynes Tea Room, High Street, says approving the plans could put her and others out of business as well as change the face of the market town.

She said: “It is about keeping Pershore unique. If this application was to be approved we think this will be the final nail in the coffin for many of us. There a lot of cafes and places serving refreshments within the immediate area.”

Coffee#1 intends to open between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday and from 9am until 5pm on Sundays. It plans to employ 10 full time staff and 10 part-time employees.

Terry Smith, who has run Sugar and Spice cafe for nine years said that he expected to have more than 500 signatures on the petition by next week.

“It is difficult trading,” he said.

“Takings are down on last year. That is the first time this has happened. We are the wrong type of town for that sort of outlet.” Coffee#1 has more than 25 outlets across Wales and the South West with the nearest being in Tewkesbury and Gloucester.

A spokesman said they were hoping to open early next year.

“Since our first store opened we’ve made a name for ourselves as an ethical, gourmet coffee house with a friendly, community feel. As a private, family-owned, independent business, we understand there may be concerns from local business owners, but so far we’ve received a very positive response to our coffee shops and we’ll be bringing new jobs.”

To view the plans visit wychavon.gov.uk The period for people to comment on the application ends on Thursday, November 8.

Comments(11)

Maggie Would says...
10:19pm Thu 25 Oct 12

They're hardly Starbucks now, are they?

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Caffeine says...
9:07am Fri 26 Oct 12

Having been in a number of the local cafes in Pershore, including the ones mentioned in the article, the coffee I have been served has been poor to disgusting. Coffee#1 will be a welcome addition to the High Street, the sooner the better. If you don't like it don't go in there but give the rest of us the chance of a decent cup of coffee.

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stu2010 says...
11:13am Fri 26 Oct 12

All these coffee shops everywhere, it's a wonder anyone can sleep pumping all these stimulants in themselves

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Nikrem says...
11:48am Fri 26 Oct 12

I dont see the problem myself, Surely its a different kind of customer compared to the those that would go to an old style tea room.

I beleieve it would be good for the town

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head thumper says...
1:07pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Dont see any problem myself its all about competion and if the owners of the other tea cant compete then so be it.
A word of advice though to the owner of "sugar and spice" if you could clean the shop up abit and maybe realise that we are not living in the 1970's then you might get more trade.

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copierman says...
6:27pm Fri 26 Oct 12

Better than another charity shop or yet another empty shop like the one on the other side of the high st that has been empty for years.(any one know the reason for this?)

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Sarah M says...
7:19pm Fri 26 Oct 12

If you want to make Pershore unique then STOP the addition of more and more Charity shops and encourage some different businesses.

Also re-think the £1 an hour parking. It is only 90p in Worcester and there are significantly more shops.

Maybe a trendy Coffee shop would encourage younger people into the town?? I think the vibrancy of a town is lost with empty shops. Look at Evesham.

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Longtreeroad says...
7:31pm Wed 31 Oct 12

copierman wrote:
Better than another charity shop or yet another empty shop like the one on the other side of the high st that has been empty for years.(any one know the reason for this?)
Yes, its because they live on the extra value the property gains every year, and they have no business rates while the property is empty. This is why I have been saying for years that landlords of empty property should be made to pay 50℅ rates, this would encourage them to drop there rents and allow new business a chance to start. I hope the business gets the go ahead, if other cafes can't compete then maybe they need to look at there businesses plan, and if they serve good quality food and drink they have nothing to worry about.

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Truckerlyn says...
5:08pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Caffeine - I am quite a coffee conoisseur and agree that many of the cafes in Pershore do not serve good coffee. However, there is one - Sarah Janes, that does serve very good coffee. As I drink coffee black and without sugar, the quality and taste of the coffee is paramount and this cafe serves the best in Pershore. Should Cafe #1 get the go ahead I will not be wasting my money in there. If it means the closure of the one cafe that does serve good coffee then I will no longer be shopping in my local town of Pershore, either.

As for other comments regarding competition, yes it is healthy, but with 7 cafes already in Pershore (4 within a very small stones throw of each other) plus The Angel and, I believe Whisperers also serving coffee and snacks, there is only so much trade to go round. Without the diversity in shops that we used to have, before the 'enhancement' scheme in the town that was the death knell for many, coupled with the unrealistic and unreasonable parking charges, there is precious little reason for people to come into Pershore to shop in the first place.

This may have been viable a few years back when Pershore was a good place to shop - indeed, 10 years ago I used to come to Pershore from Gloucester to shop for unique and reasonably priced gifts. Now, eventhough I live in Pershore, I look online as there is nothing in Pershore anymore and Evesham and Worcester are not much better.

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Old Scrumpy says...
3:08pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Mediocre .... "so let's be ostriches and just go on aimlessly .... uh, why is trade so slow? Pershore better wake up. High St is dead. Most pubs gone. Only the Abbey to attract visitors for an hour at most. Have to accept it's a retirement enclave. Work on that for value-added .. old time dancing hall renewal ?

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Truckerlyn says...
12:41pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Never a truer word spoken, Old Scrumpy

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