Shildon's Costa Coffee store closes permanently

The Costa Coffee store, situated on Shildon main street, will not reopen after its closure back in March.

The coffee shop chain opened 2,000 of its stores last month with new precautions in place to ensure customers are kept safe during store visits.

Many members of the public in Shildon told The Northern Echo they were saddened by the closure – some were shocked and unaware that the closure was permanent.

Sharon Baxter, 56, from Shildon, said: “I think it has been a bit of a shock that it’s closing down, I don’t think anybody expected it.

“I think all the shops have struggled for a long time in Shildon, not just during the pandemic - it’s been going on for a long time, but it’s got worse now of course.”

However, not all businesses in the town's high street were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

Andrew Ferguson, owner of The Big Banana, said: "It was a lifeline from the start for all small businesses in high streets.

"They all got rediscovered and were used again, the ones that were allowed to stay open obviously - essential food shops, like ourselves."

Andrew Ferguson, owner of The Big Banana greengrocers in Shildon, said that the pandemic has attracted customers to his store

On the closure of Costa, Courtney Walton, 22, who works in the town’s high street, said: “It’s a shame, and it’s come as a shock because I didn’t actually know.

“I knew that they’d obviously closed throughout the pandemic, but I didn’t realise it was permanent.

"I thought with social distancing the store may have just reopened on a more reserved basis.”

The Northern Echo contacted Costa for a statement, but the chain has so far failed to respond.