A chain cafe at a busy retail park in Reading has closed down around a year after opening.
A Starbucks cafe in Reading has closed just a year after opening its doors.
The American chain launched in September 2023 at Brunel Retail Park, taking over from Costa Coffee, which shut down earlier this year.
On Wednesday, October 16, the Starbucks was found closed, following a wave of closures announced last month across the globe.
Starbucks is shutting cafes worldwide, including in North America. In a recent statement, the company revealed a review of its operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) to ensure stores are well-located and busy.
Despite plans to open 80 new stores in the UK and 150 across EMEA this financial year, some locations in the UK, Switzerland, and Austria will close.
Last August, Starbucks received planning approval to rebrand the former Costa Coffee site, with Reading Borough Council granting permission for their iconic green and white logo.
Currently, there are no plans for a new operator to take over the vacant unit. This closure follows Starbucks’ recent shutdown of its kiosk in The Oracle and its cafe by the Vue cinema in April 2024.
However, Starbucks still operates cafes at the Butter Market, Reading Station, and a drive-thru at Reading Link Retail Park.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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