Shoppers blast ‘it’s an outrage’ as popular coffee chain to close three stores in HOURS

SHOPPERS have been left “outraged” as a popular coffee chain is due to close three stores within hours.

Nespresso is shutting three town centre outlets later today, leaving shoppers worried about where they can recycle their used capsules.

Sites in Bristol, Reading and Solihull are all set to close their doors for the last time.

Loyal customers of the Bristol outlet in Cribbs Causeway previously got an email from Nespresso stating: “Your local Bristol Boutique will close its doors for one last time on 30.03.24.”

The Cribbs Causeway store is located on the top floor next to an H&M shop.

Fans of Nespresso could take their used capsules to the boutique for recycling.

However, once the Cribbs store is closed, the closest sites will be Reading, Southampton or Birmingham.

Nespresso’s store, located in The Oracle, Reading, has also announced that it will close for good on Saturday.

The popular coffee brand’s boutique in Solihull’s Touchwood Shopping Centre will also close today.

A spokesperson for the brand previously said: “There are plenty of ways to continue the Nespresso adventure.

“All your favourite coffees, plus many more, remain at your fingertips and are available to order anytime on our website, via the App or by phone.”

Reacting to the closures on social media, one person said: “I’m outraged.”

Another wrote: “That’s a shame – Looks like an online subscription from now on then!”

Others have complained about no longer being able to recycle their pods in the locality.

However, Nespresso fans still have a number of options when it comes to recycling their pods.

Customers can visit https://www.nespresso.com/uk/en/sustainability/recycling and book a free collection with Royal Mail.

They can also take full recycling pouches to any of Royal Mail’s 14,000 drop-off points.

FOOD & DRINK SECTOR STRUGGLING

Nespresso isn’t the only coffee shop chain to pull down the shutters on stores in recent days.

Earlier this month, Costa Coffee announced that it will pull down the shutters on its cafes in Stockton Heath, Warrington.

The coffee chain has closed several stores in recent months.

Along with the high street, many food and drink chains have been struggling in recent months as the cost of living crisis has meant many people have curbed their spending.

Businesses struggled to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.

Costa isn’t the only coffee chain to close sites in recent months.

Caffè Nero, which launched in the UK in 1997, pulled down the shutters on half a dozen sites in 2023 in a blow for caffeine lovers.

However, one of the six sites was shut for temporary renovation while another was a relocation.

Four coffee houses did close their stores for good though, including its Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, branch which shut on June 3.

Its site in Witney closed two days later, then the branch in Wigan’s town centre on June 25.

International coffee giant Starbucks is pulling down the shutters on one of its coffee houses in just a few days.

The chain will be closing its branch in Dalton Park Shopping Centre, County Durham on March 10.

At the end of last year, Starbucks shuttered their coffee house in Botanic Avenue, Belfast, for good.

Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s closing branches.

In early 2023, burger chain Byron Burger collapsed into administration resulting in the loss of over 200 jobs.

Prezzo, the Italian chain, also revealed plans to shut 46 restaurants last year as a result of soaring energy and food costs, putting 810 jobs at risk.

Although some chains have managed to persevere, like Greggs which announced huge expansion plans.

Bakery chains Wenzel’s the Bakers and Patisserie Valerie are also looking at opening new branches.

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