Eldergate Costa in Cotswolds

Another month, another new store opening, this time in Milton Keynes in what was the site of Boarders and Starbucks and what is now a Cotswolds with a Costa upstairs. Opening day went smoothly, compared to Amersham which is my benchmark for bad, it went pretty well. Loads of freebies on offer, the first hundred customers got anything they wanted for free, there are the usual free coffee vouchers that accompany new store openings, sampling downstairs, the Mayor of MK apparently made an appearance at the opening and I saw champers at the door and goodie bags from Cotswolds.

This relationship with Cotswolds is a new one, the feedback from Cotswold management and customers seemed really positive. There are high hopes for this Costa to be a 'desination Costa', one where people come out of their way to visit. Over time, I think this is a realistic outcome for this particular Costa, it has a massive seating space, with nearly fifty percent is soft seating, perfect for families. This Costa becomes the eighth equity store (not including franchises) in Milton Keynes and one of about ninety new stores Costa is opening in 2011.

New Eldergate store family.

P.S Those who worked at Amersham with me will know what I mean by 'benchmark for bad', it was a hard few weeks and just when the days were more amber than red and the weeks more green than anything, I am placed in a MK store. We went though the wars together and I have a special place in my Costa heart for my little cubs I left there. I wasn't so bad really, a!?!