Coffee to go! Starbucks banned from York Station

[John Ashworth]

Coffee to go! York council orders Starbucks from city rail station

* Mark Smith
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 21 July 2010 16.58 BST

York rail station York council said Starbucks's freestanding kiosk was not inkeeping with the character of the station. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian

In what could be the first case of a branch of Starbucks disappearing from our towns and cities, commuters to and from one of northern England's most historic railway stations will have to get their morning pick-me-up from somewhere else after planners ruled that character was more important than cappuccino.

The Starbucks kiosk at York station has been forced to close after planning inspectors upheld an earlier council decision that it spoiled the "symmetry and carefully considered proportions" of the station's former ticket hall, which dates from 1877.

The coffee company maintained that the kiosk was a free-standing structure and was not fixed to the building, therefore it did not form an alteration or extension to the Grade II listed building.

But, writes Mike Laycock in the York Press, Inspector Alan Novitzky ruled the Starbucks hut constituted a "substantial intrusion" into "a transition space between the entrance portico and the railway concourse" and "had a solid, heavy, four-square presence and a darkish appearance." He appreciated the usefulness of such customer facilities, but believed a less intrusive form would be more appropriate.

The council's Labour group leader, Coun James Alexander, welcomed the decision, saying York was a very special place that needed its heritage protected.

"It is what makes York special," he told the Press. "We can't let large multinational companies jeopardise this, as it means York will no longer be special. Fewer people will visit here and our economy will suffer."

There is mixed reaction to the story on the York Press's website however, with robmins from York (who sounds as if he could work in Seattle) saying: "What absolute rubbish. Starbucks serves a very important role in the start of the day for most commuters. I commute to London ... and Starbucks is essential, rather than suffer other brands."

TooRelaxed, from Happytown, disagrees: "Good decision, planners. Shove off Starbucks, there's plenty of opportunity to buy your silly coffee all over York." Must be a tea drinker.

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Good decision!