The extension to Costa, into what was Jessops, on Abingdon Market Place became more evident with the erection of a new sign. Work has been going on inside for some weeks.
Costa not only has an Abingdon outlet on the Market Place, but also in the Esso Filling Station on Marcham Road, and in a couple of convenience stores where, I can now reveal, those giant coffee cups contain bricks.
My wife and I are regulars at Costa and it’s great to see them expanding in time for the winter. In fact I was watching you take this photo wondering if you were the chap from The Abingdon Blog.
I’m not sure I like the new sign though. I thought they might extend the existing facia. It just looks odd to me. I guessing they were restricted by planning permission or something. Still looking forward to the larger space for apparently an extra 80 people! We’ll see.
Am a huge fan of Costa and am so glad to see them expanding. It’s really difficult to get a seat in there at the weekends and enjoy a quiet coffee. Do we know if they are taking the upstairs aswell? as I thought I saw coffee cups and tables in the upstairs windows.
Costa = costalot!!!
The sign is a mess – Weatherspoons £1.15 for filter coffee plus free refills.
…but is that filter coffee any good? You can make a cup of Tescos value instant for a darn sight less….it’s not just about the price, it’s about getting a decent strong cup of coffee. Isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I’m no big fan of Costa, or their prices…but I’m no big fan of watery, warm, bland coffee for pennies either.
Yeah it was fine – not instant coffee – filter coffee – what Costa would market as an Americano.
Costa = Costalot.
There’s a discernible difference between filter coffee and an Americano (types of coffee used, blend of coffee, coarseness of gind, ratio of coffee to water, water pressure and temperature) – Costas should offer both; not market one as the other (off topic I know…but I’m bored and don’t want to go to bed yet).
But I agree…they’re probably both expensive for what they are.
Out of interest…how long does Weatherspoons’ ‘filter coffee’ stand in it’s glass pot I wonder?
I prefer to support the independent coffee and tea shops like Throwing Buns and Rosie’s Tea Room, I quite sure their coffee will be just as good or better. They are the ones that bring character to Abingdon. Costa – you can find them in any town.
Throwing Buns in my opinion has a much smoother blend of coffee and is a totally different kind of experience inside… however it is proven that by having a costa or a starbucks the local coffee shops do in fact tend to do better.
Narrows will kill off pubs and cafes crumbs Sunday was empty .
Daniel obviously works for Costa
…Rolf, I assure you; I don’t! But I can type “coffee” into Google. 🙂
Planning permission just gone in to extend the sign across what was Jessops. Looks like I get my way after all.
http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/java/support/Main.jsp?MODULE=ApplicationDetails&REF=P13/V2275/FUL
I prefer Salinas in Bath Street: the coffee is cheaper and the background music doesn’t upset me. I tried the new extension at Costa: I was too hot, I hated the music and the lights in the ceiling reflected on my tablet making it difficult to use. Go to Crumbs for breakfast: the competition comes nowhere near for value.
Wetherspoon’s espresso is excellent and cheaper (not cheap) than other cafes that seem intent on just ripping off their customers with outrageous prices for tiny coffees! Hopefully Wetherspoon’s lower prices will force the others to revise their prices downwards too. Rather like the Energy companies in reverse! Competition is after all supposed to lead to better service and lower prices.
Jacko wether spoons are a huge chain who can buy much more in bulk than indipendants . This is why multi national companies kill off town shops . They move in and because they have reconised name they are a instant success . The business rates are same wether you are salinas or wether spoons . Salina has to take years to be established and will take ages to make profit wether spoons will make profit on day of opening