Coffee giant Starbucks plans to open a sixth cafe in Brighton and Hove, prompting fears it is turning the seaside resort into a clone city.

The global chain, which has 400 outlets in the UK hopes fashionable coffee drinkers will soon be supping their lattes and macchiatos from a new caf in Western Road, Hove.

The latest outlet to open in the city would be the first in Hove if an application to convert the former 24-hour Budgens, which closed down last year, is successful.

Hove caf owners fear Starbucks' arrival could destroy their businesses and ruin the character of the area.

Sharon Gordon used to be a regular customer at The Sanctuary Cafe in Western Road, Hove, and then bought the bistro seven years ago.

She said: "It seems everywhere you go there is a Starbucks. I feel like they are taking over the world.

"For me as a single businesswoman it can be a real struggle."

Thomas McCauley, 58, owner of The Grand Cochon cafe, which sits directly opposite the currently empty Budgens, said: "These big chains have lots of money behind them and they seem to be taking every little plot of land that's going. We struggle along so it is going to hit us hard."

Maria Jonsson, 25, owner of Hey Pesto sandwich bar, which opened in Waterloo Street, Hove, last November, said: "For small businesses this would be disastrous. I would certainly be worried about it closing us down."

Starbucks already has five cafs in Brighton. The most recent opened last year in the new £14 million Jubilee Quarter. The new outlet would have 50 seats and open from 7.30am-9pm.

Alan Gibson, honourary secretary of the Hove Business Association, said too many shops were being turned into cafes and restaurants. He said: "I don't see how the council can stop it unless they say enough is enough.

"One of these days they have to start saying that because we are losing our shops to multinationals of this kind."

The planning application will be considered by Brighton and Hove City Council in the coming months but it cannot be refused purely because the applicant is a chain.

A city council spokeswoman said: "Shopping in Brighton and Hove is just as diverse and eclectic as ever.

"The city has an international reputation for its unusual shops and this is something the council works hard in partnership with the City Centre Business Forum to promote and support."

A Starbucks spokeswoman said: "We offer our customers a great cup of coffee in a relaxing environment, somewhere between work and home where people can relax.

"We believe there is plenty of room in the marketplace for a variety of coffee retailers, including Starbucks, independently owned cafes and other speciality coffee houses."

Friday, May 26, 2006