PLANS for a Costa in Thornbury have divided opinion, with some saying there are already too many coffee shops and others arguing that the chain will boost business in the town centre.

Costa Coffee wants to take over the former Co-Operative Bank site in the High Street and hopes to open late this summer, bringing eight to 10 jobs to the town.

The chain's planning application proposes a 50-seater shop with outside seating and opening hours of 6.30am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 6.30pm on Sunday.

Thornbury Town Council's development committee decided not to object to the plans at a meeting on Tuesday, despite criticisms from residents.

Among those to complain were Derek Hardy, who said: “Yet another coffee shop could potentially have an adverse effect on one or more of the existing smaller shops, ultimately causing them to close.

“Thornbury needs a different range of shops to serve the local community and attract visitors.”

Fellow resident Adele Sharp added: “This will totally take away the authenticity of our beautiful town and turn it into another commercial high street.

“We don’t need another coffee shop, we have multiples of everything else in Thornbury and it would be nice to see something else.”

But another resident, Gary Pepworth, said Costa would benefit the town. “I welcome the fact that larger well-known companies wish to invest in the town – it is a vote of confidence in the town.

"A number of shops either close at 1pm or earlier on a Saturday afternoon. These tend to be the independently owned shops, whereas the much maligned big chains stay open. 

“I note that Costa intends to stay open for not only core shop hours but later into the evening. This gives Thornbury residents another place to meet up that is not a pub.”

During the development committee meeting, chairman Cllr Maggie Tyrell said: “Realistically, we have to look at the fact that the identity of the modern High Street is different to what we used to have. It is less of a venue for shopping and more for socialising.

“It will bring more people and therefore more business to the High Street. It will also have the potential to reduce the rather long lunchtime queues in the High Street.

“It is also nice to know that Thornbury is on the radar of these larger businesses if they are looking to set up a new shop here.”

Cllr Vince Costello added: “It is a property on the High Street that a developer thinks they could have a go at. If the people would use it, who are we to turn it down?”

Costa spokeswoman Melissa Greenwood said: “We can confirm that we have submitted a change of use application for a site in Thornbury.

“As with all of our new store openings, we will do all that we can to integrate ourselves with the local community, getting involved with events, providing the store as a meeting place and helping with fundraising.”