Costa Coffee is progressing plans for an investment of up to £3.5m across its London estate, as part of a wider strategy to strengthen its presence in high-footfall locations and respond to recovering commuter demand across the capital.
The Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop has a pipeline of up to seven new stores to open across London in 2026, alongside the refurbishment of more than 10 existing sites, as it continues to optimise its retail portfolio and enhance the in-store experience.
The latest opening, on Aldersgate Street in the City of London, reflects Costa Coffee’s focus on strategically located, commuter driven sites, with office attendance and central London footfall showing sustained improvement.
The new store format has been designed to support a range of customer missions, incorporating dedicated collection areas for speed and convenience, varied seating to encourage longer dwell time, and digital touchpoints including self-service kiosks and click-and-collect via the Costa Club app.
Located within a former bank building, the Aldersgate Street store has been adapted to balance heritage features with a modern retail layout. The opening has created four new roles, with additional staff redeployed from nearby stores to support the opening.
Luke Shaughnessy, regional operations director for London and Southeast at Costa Coffee, said: “London remains a key market for us, and this £3.5m investment reflects our commitment to evolving our store estate in line with changing customer behaviours.
“We continue to see demand for both convenience-led coffee occasions and spaces where customers can spend more time, and our latest openings are designed to meet that breadth of need.”
Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, said: “Costa Coffee opening at Aldersgate reflects the City’s growing appeal as a destination, as well as a workplace. With unmatched transport connectivity, rising footfall and a strong mix of cafés, services and public spaces, the Square Mile is earning the commute of its workers, throughout the week.
“Combined with the City’s rich heritage and expanding leisure offer, openings like this also help create a sociable, serviceable environment that builds community and makes the City somewhere workers, residents and visitors alike actively choose to spend time. Good luck Costa Coffee.”
