STARBUCKS, Caffe Nero, Harris + Hoole, Carluccio’s, Caffe Amici, CKC, Wenzel’s – the list goes on for where you can grab a cup of coffee in the village.

So the impending arrival of yet another coffee shop in Marsh Road, Pinner, in two weeks’ time has got some local traders in a bit of a froth.

Although it will be slightly further away from the cluster of established names in High Road, businessmen and women and members of the local community have shared concerns as to whether Pinner really needs another place to get a caffeine hit in the form of a Costa Coffee branch.

Kara Lines, owner of Lines of Pinner wallpaper and upholstery store and a member of Pinner Independent Traders’ Association, said: “The problem with having so many chains in Pinner is that we lose the uniqueness that we need to make us an appealing alternative to the malls.

“The other problem is that many chains are often unwilling to participate in local initiatives that strengthen the important link between residents and traders.”

Martin Verden, of the Pinner Association that manages West House in West End Lane, Pinner, said: “My own opinion is that we are pretty well saturated with coffee.

“In view of our own connection with coffee through our tenants, namely Daisy’s In The Park, naturally it is in our interest to see a successful operation there, and I am not concerned that more competition will be a threat, since Daisy’s are situated in a perfect setting within the beautiful Pinner Memorial Park.”

Costa Coffee, owned by hospitality firm Whitbread, has confirmed the opening date for its Pinner store will be Thursday, February 20, and stressed that what it has to offer is different to that of independent coffee shops.

Other traders were more circumspect about its arrival, like chef patron and owner of Friends Restaurant in High Street, Pinner, Terry Farr.

He said: “I find it somewhat ironic that Pinner first became fashionable as a destination to take tea back in the 1920s and 30s, and nowadays, the village is full of coffee shops.

“I’m not a great fan of them myself as I am a tea drinker but as they seem to have replaced pubs for meeting and socialising, I can’t see the harm in having them dotted around.

“The proposed location of the new one would seem to be slightly out of the centre, but that could be good, both for those living in the immediate locale, and for the nearby businesses.”

A Costa Coffee spokeswoman said: “Costa are pleased to announce that we are opening a new shop on Marsh Road, Pinner in mid-February, bringing eight to 10 new jobs to the area.

“As with all of our new store openings we will do all that we can to integrate ourselves with the local community, getting involved with events, providing the store as a meeting place and helping with fundraising.

“In response to local concern with our arrival, we see no reason why a Costa store could not fit comfortably into the mix.

“Our offering is very different to the local independent coffee shops. We believe that people can and will use both, depending on their needs; something that we have seen in other towns in which we operate.”

 Kam Kur,  District Manager, Starbucks UK, Kam Kur said: “We are proud to have been a part of the local community in Pinner for over 6 years since opening our store on the high street in November 2007. 

"Across the UK, independent coffee shops and of course Starbucks, are leading innovations in coffee and store environments for their customers, and evidence has shown that the number of independent coffee shops has increased in line with branded chains, which is great news for coffee fans.”