WORK on the new Costa Coffee in the Knightswick Centre has begun in preparation for the store opening in December.

The company applied to open a shop in an empty unit at the shopping mall earlier this year and was given permission to go ahead with the plans last month.

Canvey Island South councillor Barry Palmer is looking forward to the big brand coming to the island.

He said: “It will be good to see something in there as there have been empty units for ages.

“It’s great to get the big brands in as they don’t tend to come to Canvey very often as the island doesn’t attract much passing trade.

“It might take off, it might not but at least someone is willing to give it a go there.”

Fellow councillor Barry Campagna is also hopeful the coffee shop will give the island a boost, but is concerned it could affect independent traders already on the island.

He said: “It’s a large brand which could attract other big brands and could be really good for the island.

“We have been trying to get the bigger brands to the town but we don’t want existing establishments to suffer.

“We already have a lot of eating places along the front and in the town.

“There are some people who have been trading there for a long time and all do reasonably well. I would hate to see them struggle or shut up if the coffee shop took away their trade.”

The application to open the Knightswick Centre shop came shortly after the announcement that Costa Coffee hopes to build a drive-through store as part of a retail park on land adjoining Morrisons, in Northwick Road.

A decision over the retail park and drive-through application is expected to be made by the council at a planning meeting next Tuesday.

Kerry Parking, head of communications for Costa, said: “Costa, the nation’s favourite coffee shop brand, is pleased to announce we are opening a brand new store on Canvey Island in early December, bringing eight to ten new jobs to the local area.

“We are looking forward to being a part of the local community, getting involved with events, providing the store as a meeting place and helping with fundraising.”