Costa Coffee will take over running the café pavilion in St Andrew Square ‘Garden’, a reader pointed out to us today.
The company was granted a Building Warrant on 11 August to refit the premises according to its own style and requirements (Ref. 15/02546/ALT).
We don’t know the date of the works, but assume they will follow the Festival.
No-one was available at Saltire today to confirm when they would leave.
Meanwhile, Essential Edinburgh’s planning application to expand the premises appears to have gone nowhere (Ref. 14/04840/FUL; Breaking news, 8.12.14).
The application was scheduled to be determined by January 2015, but apparently was not. City of Edinburgh Council officials had packed up for the weekend when we enquired into the matter earlier this afternoon.
At first sight, the pavilion looks rather too modest in size to appeal to Costa. However, judging by the seats available outside today, the business may be able to increase its custom without having to build.
Trade at the pavilion was not brisk this afternoon owing to the weather.
Got a view? Tell us at spurtle@hotmail.co.uk and @theSpurtle and Facebook
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Koumkoum Alg This isn't costa?
Paul Pratt Genius. Replace the wonderful Razzo coffee with Costa rubbish.
Lynn Henni Maybe it will boost sales at nearby Clock as people tire of big-chain bland
Marlene Wentworth Costa lot for costa rubbish coffee
Ryan Bell That sucks. Hopefully the other coffee shops around will get more business and people avoid the awful Costa junk.
Margaret Hunt Why why can't it b a privately owned coffee shop where u get very personal service and good coffee food at reasonable prices
Fiona Mackenzie Sad
Conrad Rossouw What happened to blue bear taking it?
Andrew J Swanson I've just said the same, it was in the news months ago that the guys from Blue Bear at Brandon Terrace were going to run it and they even named it (I can't remember what it was going to be called) I actually thought they were running it now to be honest. Edinburgh seems to move at a snails pace to get anything to happen
Bill Dunlop Essential? To whom, may I enquire?
Costa coffee is one of the better brews.
Antony White Oh for goodness sake! Who the hell allowed that to happen? I don't get why they're that big as they're not that good, but then again, folk buy their stuff so who am I to argue?
Broughton Spurtle The same people who privileged Hard Rock Café with prime commercial spot in former St Andrew Square Garden: Essential Edinburgh.
@hackonteur @theSpurtle saddest of times :-(
BKR retweeted Broughton Spurtle
Look, this is such total bullshit I don't know where to start. How about we #sacktheboard of Essential Edinburgh!
@TheEdinburgers @theSpurtle suggest we all go collectively apeshit on this one #sacktheboard
@theSpurtle so the rumours prove true. What a travesty. Is the whole point of the garden not to have somewhere unique and different?
@theSpurtle this such balls; final straw with "Essential Edinburgh" :-(
@Lunchquest @theSpurtle the reason of course has to be money Wonder how much @CostaCoffee have paid for this? Means no alcohol license too
Edinburgh Reporter @EdinReporter
@EdinJag @theSpurtle or selling hugely profitable coffee. And little else except those little buns they do with the cherry on top....
Where once we had @Razzo_Coffee then we had @cafebluebear now we have Costa Please explain how this is "business improvement" @edinburgh :-(
frown emoticon seriously sick of seeing Costa sprout up everywhere.
Peter Bewsey More hot milk, wonderful. No doubt because its a big chain the council will let them do what they want.
Broughton Spurtle It's about more than coffee. Civic self-respect. Essential Edinburgh don't get it. Do you @AndrewDBurns ?
Cllr. Andrew D Burns @AndrewDBurns @theSpurtle of course I get the point you're making .. let me check it all out on 'Monday/early next week' and I'll get back to you; Andrew.
Broughton Spurtle @theSpurtle
@AndrewDBurns To avoid any doubt: it's not about naive hate of business. Think today's 43k+ fear CEC and EE lack sense of place/community.
Ally Tibbitt retweeted Broughton Spurtle
The clone-town-ification of Edinburgh continues. Has @EssentialEdin given justification?
@theSpurtle @AndrewDBurns in St A square? Sure they'll come out of Harvey nick's gasping for some sense
Andrew J Swanson I thought the guys from Blue Bear at Brandon Terrace were taking over the running of this it was in the papers months ago ?
Donnie Montgomery Sad sad sad!!!
San Steadman I don't rate costa coffee at all it's bitter and expensive
@theSpurtle I'm just glad it wasn't double glazed.