Bring it on,the more the better and take no notice of these people such as Tom who sloppily talks about clone towns.Ulverston is so dull and boring it needs new shops such as Costa to brighten it up a bit as its fast catching up to my hometown of Dalton,that's why I sold up and moved to the Walney part of Barrow.My personal favourite coffee shop in Barrow town centre is the rendezvous,but Costa does add to the general ambiance,and it certainly will help lift the gloom in Ulverston once its up and running.There are to many opinionated people in Ulverston that want to live in the past,they must learn to look to the future-move with the times,my god,its a wonder that munition pubs still don't exist in Ulverston!.

great news,bring on all the big chains our town may have a future after all.

Have just come back home after a quick visit down south to a lovely little market town popped into said town 11 a m parking spaces none................all coffee shops full, shops mostly all open and booming we must move with the times forget Wednesday half ( none day ) we have to compete welcome the chains, welcome the visitors ( yes even those that turn up on a Wednesday and Sunday )most people like to chill and meet friends on a Sunday and browse the shops so take heed follow the trend or just put up a sign on the Tank square roundabout Ulverston closed open to locals only............

So Ulverston takes one more step toward becoming a 'clone' town. I love visiting Cafes and I personally think Ulverston is well served by the Cafes it has already. There is Gillams, Poppies, The Deli, Hot Mango, Ulverston Tea rooms, Home & Finance, Market cafe and the Buddhist Cafe, all in the town centre, and most of these offer espresso coffee. On top of this there are many pubs such as the Farmers that offer Coffee. I'm sure Costa will succeed in Ulverston and there'll be a queue to be offered up overpriced drinks by sour faced youths but I for one will give my business to the Independent Cafes.

It warms the heart to read so much support for a major company making more money from something already widely available. Ulverston take note: Barrow town centre was desolate until McDonalds came and provided starving Barrovians with burgers, fries and melted ice cream milkshakes.

And I, for one, will flatly refuse to visit any town unless it has AT LEAST one Costa and preferably one McDonalds. And if things don't open after 4pm, well don't get me started on that. I mean, what else is there to do around the South Lakes?

I'm neutral over this issue but was interested to read that nearly 6,000 residents of the market town Totnes in Devon have just 'persauded' Costa to withdraw its plans to open a shop, despite planning approval. They say the reason is because the town is full of independent retailers and there are very few empty shops. Their local economy is thriving and don't want to become a 'clone' town. Are we as loyal and supportive of our local shops? Just asking.

Hi Baron B

I stand corrected , however on the Sunday afternoon I stode past this gorgeous lookig tea and coffee shop was closed .Sure the place you are decribing is the best looking shop in town.

Please keep Costa out of Ulverston. Totnes in Devon has pride in it's independent coffee shops and succeeded in keeping them out. Even the Costa Managing Director sees sense and agrees with the planning decision. See below:

Chris Rogers, managing director of Costa, said the company had 'recognised the strength of feeling' against national brands in the town.

He said: 'Totnes is a town with a long and proud history of independent retailers, it has one of the lowest percentages of branded stores of any town of its size in the UK, very few empty shop fronts, as well as a very high proportion of places selling coffee.'

Totnes in Devon have succeeded in resisting the march of corporate homogeneity and have rejected Costa, we should do the same. However, for those of you concerned that Ulverston town centre is dying, this has nothing to do with Costa: please help by asking your local independent retailers to stop moaning and compete - people go to the corporate chain shops because they are open when they are free to shop!

“Jane Harris - In my view it is a big issue for a town like Ulverston. I feel very strongly we have to try to preserve what we have got.”
She said she fears adding another coffee shop to the town would risk forcing the closure of established independent traders.
Cllr Harris added: “Costa can do things that will undermine local businesses. It will try to knock them out of business.”

*rolls eyes* OMG! I do wish these so called Town councillor's would shut up already, people in Ulverston WANT Sainsbury's they WANT Costa Coffee, we like change and variety, I agree with 'One toddler one baby in a buggy no Uggs' It's pretty much impossible to get into Poppies, Gilliams, Mad Hatters when you have a buggy/push chair last time I tried I got 'tutted' out by some old lady who just didn't want to have a toddler and small baby sat next to her table! So yeah a Costa's would be great, more room, I like coffee and their lemon tarts are to die for! I am not part of a 'certain crowd' I am part of Ulverston......pffft if everyone had that attitude perhaps we should dislike people called Natalie? We HATE shopping in Barrow as it is and quite often go to Kendal instead. Get over yourselves Ulverston Town Council stop thinking about yourselves and what YOU want and start thinking about what this town needs and the people in it. It's looking less likely we need a Town Council if it remains the way it is heading.