Costa Coffee has confirmed the closure of its Lyme Regis branch in a blow for the Dorset town that follows a series of closures across the country. The UK’s biggest coffee chain, with over 2,000 cafes, will permanently shut its doors on Thursday, April 24, after more than a decade in the seaside area. The once-ubiquitous logo that was once a hallmark of every British high street appears to be in retreat across a number of regions, with Costa pulling out of towns and cities including Edinburgh, Brighton, Birmingham and London last year.
The chain hasn’t commented on an official downsizing policy, with a spokesperson simply telling The Scottish Sun: “We can confirm that our store in Lyme Regis will be closing its doors for trade on April 24.” But locals have reacted with disappointment to losing a meeting place that they had relied on since 2012, when it replaced the estate agents Fortnam, Smith and Bennett on Broad Street.
“Such a shame to lose another store,” one person wrote on social media. Another added: “The high street is just not what it used to be, so sad.”
“It’s always sad when any business has to close, especially when it affects local jobs and livelihoods,” a third person added.
It’s the third Costa branch to be axed in recent weeks, with the Shell Highworth Service Station outpost shut on April 20, and the coffee shop on Stockton High Street due to close next month.
But the popular cafe chain is also just the latest business to leave Lyme Regis, with a Boots branch closing last February and seafood restaurant The Oyster and Fish House shutting its doors in December.
The Beach and Bager cafe on Marine Parade also closed in 2024 and now operates under new name The Terrace.
Big-name retailers including WHSmith and Homebase have been among other high street giants deserting towns across the UK over the last 12 months in a growing trend towards online shopping and away from traditional brick-and-mortar sites.
Homebase has also been among the firms forced into administration by a tricky economic climate, with brands pointing to the cost-of-living crisis and rising National Insurance for employers as among the reasons behind the negative shift.
