RESIDENTS have gathered 2,000 signatures in a new petition against plans to open a Costa Coffee outlet in a Peak District town - although the company has obtained planning permission.
Costa won an appeal against the Peak District National Park authority’s refusal of planning permission for the branch on King Street, Bakewell.
Planning inspector Ian McHugh, who handled the appeal, concluded the coffee bar would ‘add to the number of people and activity’ in the street, which is part of the town centre conservation area.
But no date has yet been set for the opening and residents hope to persuade the company not to go ahead - by demonstrating they ‘have not won the hearts and minds’ of people in the town.
Protesters say they would prefer a local trader to move into the unit.
Costa said the coffee bar will create between six and 10 jobs and bring back into use a retail unit which has been empty since 2011.
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