Liverpool Costa Coffee branch that mysteriously shut down slapped with worst food hygiene rating
A Costa Coffee branch in the heart of the Royal Albert Dock mysteriously shut down last month has been hit with the worst possible hygiene rating.
Following an inspection on November 5, the branch at the Colonnades was suddenly closed to customers.
The shop is part of the Optimum Group which operates 27 Costa Coffee franchises across Merseyside and the wider North West. The company was founded in 2006.
Work was taken to rectify issues that arose in the inspection undertaken by Liverpool Council officials. It has now been confirmed that it was awarded zero out of five by environmental health officials.
This states that urgent improvement was necessary at the premises. The business sent out an apology for the closure but offered no further details on the nature of the issue identified by local authority inspectors.
When the Colonnades location was last inspected by environmental health officials in January 2019, it was granted a score of four out of five, and deemed as “good.” The LDRS has requested further details from the city council on the reasons for the rating.
The store opened 11 years ago after the Optimum Group agreed a 15-year lease to convert two units at the Albert Dock, totalling 3,000sq ft. Around £250,000 was spent to refurbish the site when it opened in 2014.
It was the second shop to be operated by Optimum, with another location at Britannia Pavilion next to the Beatles Story. At the time of its opening, 15 people were employed at the shop that has now been shut.
The windows of the store were wiped over during the closure period. It reopened to patrons days later.
In a statement last month, a Costa Coffee spokesperson said “immediate action” had been taken at the store following the environmental health rating handed out to the business. It said: “Costa Coffee takes all EHO ratings extremely seriously and was disappointed and concerned to learn about the recent rating given to the Costa Coffee store on Albert Dock, Liverpool.
“The store is owned and operated by a franchise partner who has temporarily closed it while the team take immediate action to resolve the issue. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
The firm opened a kiosk on the Royal Albert Dock, located by the Magical Mystery Tour in 2022. Optimum Group also operates the Costa Coffee branch at St Peter’s Square on Old Hall Street.