‘It’s a shame. We saw it coming’: Dalston gets its first Costa

The first Costa Coffee to come to Dalston has provoked an angry response from local residents amid fears the chain could damage local businesses.

In response to Costa opening this week next to Kingsland Shopping Centre, Betty Sharpe, owner of the independent store Betty’s Coffee, said: “I feel that as a community we’ve let ourselves down. I remember when they tried to open a Starbucks; it ended up not going ahead because of the residents’ reaction.”

Ms Sharpe, 25, who opened her café two-and-a-half years ago, said that Costa’s arrival to the area “shows we have a real disconnection from what we buy, and who we buy it from. We don’t care if it’s decent, if it’s locally made – we just care that it’s convenient and cheap.”

Mustafa Cicekci, the manager of Kingfishers Café on Kingsland High Street, has similar reservations about the new Costa.

He said: “It’s a shame. We saw it coming. The council’s not making it easy for anyone. Small businesses are closing. Cafés are closing down. You don’t mind competition if it’s fair competition, but it’s a shame that people are getting squeezed by big brands’ cheap prices.”

He predicted that if current trends continue, Dalston “is going to be a bit more like Angel, where you’ve got big shop names and the market itself is going to fight for its survival. There are already fewer and fewer small businesses.”

Some consumers took to twitter to register their disapproval at the news, with @JessBlondy telling her followers: “Oh no – Costa have invaded Dalston”.

Others, however, reluctantly embraced their new guilty pleasure. Jolade Olusanya tweeted: “Sitting in the new Costa in Dalston Kingsland. I feel like I’ve stabbed my area in the back”.

Costa Coffee declined to comment.

Josh Jackman

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