Costa Coffee shop opens at Plymouth Golf Centre

A 40-seater Costa Coffee shop has opened at Plymouth Golf Centre, in a move that could benefit both organisations.

The golf centre, a modern 33-bay driving range, invested ‘a significant amount of cash’ to build the branch, which has created nine jobs. It will be open every day, serving drinks, cakes and M&S food, including sandwiches and salads, and is open to golfers and non-golfers.

There are also plans to add outdoor seating later this year.

Jonathan Philpotts, director at Plymouth Golf Centre, said the centre was looking to increase its food and drink offering, having been relying on vending machines. After seeing a Costa outlet at another driving range he decided to write to Costa to see if a franchise could be set up.

Image from Facebook

“Costa was delighted,” he said. “They offered a huge amount of support. So we built it on a piece of land behind the range. We started work in August 2022. It has large windows to offer views of the range. We are hoping there will be a lot of grab and go, or deliveries to the range as people order from the bays. But we also hope it will draw people in. It is open to everyone and has convenient parking, high-speed Wi-Fi. It will also be a good place for meetings.”

Plymouth Golf Centre’s four PGA professionals coach up to 150 adults a week too, and about 120 children, mostly aged four to 12, and go into schools as well. There is also a nine-hole footgolf range and an American Golf superstore. In all about 30 people work at the centre spread across the golfing operation, the store and now the Costa.

“It’s a great asset for the city and we want people to know about it,” said pro-golfer and head of operations Sam Stephens. “The coffee shop now adds a new element.”