The small, takeaway Costa kiosk unit at Knutsford Northbound, situated on the ground floor next to Burger King & opposite WHSmith. Unfortunately, Costa wasn’t open today as it was boarded up & in the middle of a make over. Costa was rather dated at Knutsford North before and the store will benefit from a refresh. Additionally, the main Costa lounge on the bridge is to be replaced with a Pret, so these will expect an increase in custom. The new unit will be a similar size and will provide takeaway only, whereby customers are expected to use the communal seating area for this Costa and BK next door. It’s likely when Pret opens here, much of Costa’s trade will be taken as they sell a similar product range. Costa would’ve opened at Knutsford around 2009 and the main lounge on the bridge would’ve replaced Cafe Ritazza, whilst this one and the one at Southbound likely replaced phone stores (such as Fone Bitz) or a small amount of spare space. Costa is one of Moto’s most recognisable brands, however, many customers are put off by their extortionate pricing structures, especially at motorway services where inflation occurs due to demand. £5 for a toasty is standard at a Moto Costa. In addition to this kiosk, Moto have a Costa Drive Thru on the Northbound side, meaning less customers use this kiosk as some may just want coffee and not necessarily the other facilities the amenity building offers. There are additional Costa Express machines at WHSmith when Costa closes. It’s going to take Moto more than refurbishing Costa to refresh Knutsford. Costa being boarded off adds to the depressing feeling of the interior here. It also feels rather cramped. Usually, these kiosk Costas at Knutsford were busier than the former large one upstairs as these are quicker to identify for customers, possibly being the reason the one upstairs closed. Costa is signposted from the M6 Northbound, however, it’s as a drive thru. Most customers would still expect to see a Costa lounge at the amenity building.

Photo taken on 10/02/2024 by Tom Moon.

Assigned to galleries: Knutsford, Costa, M6 (England), Moto