GALASHIELS Community Council is hoping developers of a proposed Starbucks coffee outlet in the town will agree to make the store’s design “spectacular”.
Last month, plans were submitted for a shop and drive-thru on the site of the vacant Abbotsford Arms Hotel in Currie Road.
And the application was discussed during a meeting of the town’s community council on Wednesday, September 1.
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Community councillor Rick Kenney said: “It’s all going hand in glove with the town trying to get modernised and trying to attract people in, certainly young people and professional people, and it’s very close to the Interchange.
“If we could get something like a Starbucks into Galashiels it would be really good for the town.”
Describing the plans as “a great idea”, Bill White asked whether the community council could get in touch with the developers about the potential look of the building.
“Some of the stuff that people are building nowadays is a bit drab,” said Mr White, a community councillor.
“It would be good to have something a bit more spectacular.”
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Agreeing with Mr White, Mr Kenney said: “All the McDonald’s, Starbucks and KFC restaurants are all much of a muchness, probably because they’re bulk buying all the stuff they need so they can throw these restaurants up in a couple of months.”
Meanwhile, concerns were raised about the potential impact of a Starbucks on independent businesses in the town.
But Mr Kenney said: “My view is if they’re good enough, priced well enough and the coffee is good enough you’ll get business and it’s only if your customer service or pricing is not great then everyone else will go to other coffee shops.
“A wee bit of competition isn’t a bad thing to try and improve the standard.”
Chairing the meeting, Judith Cleghorn said: “I think we should encourage everything that wants to come to Galashiels to come.”
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