Surrey Sports Park to open first Starbucks licensed store in multi-sports facility

Wednesday 3 June 2009

The new Starbucks coffeehouse, with a 120-seat café area as well as an outdoor seating area for an additional 130 people, forms part of the multi-million pound Surrey Sports Park development, owned by the University of Surrey. The new state-of-the-art Surrey Sports Park, is due to open early in 2010 and is widely expected to be one of the premier training facilities ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.

It is anticipated that Starbucks coffeehouse will create around 20 local jobs when it opens in 2010. The store partners (employees), though employed by the University of Surrey, will receive the same training as if they were working in a Starbucks coffeehouse elsewhere. Starbucks will provide products such as coffee, food and merchandise as well as operational and marketing support so that customers will not be able to discern any difference between this store and their high street equivalents, which are wholly owned by Starbucks. The new licensed coffeehouse will deliver precisely the same Starbucks Experience and high standards of operational excellence that customers have come to expect from Starbucks.

In announcing the Starbucks deal, Surrey Sports Park, Managing Director, Jason Harborow, said: “Starbucks is a premium global brand and is an ideal partner for us. Relaxation and opportunities to socialise will be key components of the complex and the Starbucks name will significantly enhance this offering.

“In addition to being a centre which the entire region can enjoy, it is our ambition to attract some of world’s leading international athletes so we are delighted to be working with a brand which will be recognised by everyone coming to the Surrey Sports Park.”

Rupert Lawrie, director of business alliances, Starbucks Coffee Company (UK) Ltd., said: “Building on the success of our first campus store at the University of Surrey and the positive feedback we have received from customers, we are delighted to be part of this pioneering development which will see the opening of our first licensed store in a UK sports park. Our coffeehouse will offer visitors to Surrey Sports Park the chance to enjoy the finest ethically sourced coffee and fresh food.”

The introduction of Starbucks licensing to the UK in 2005 has been a significant development for the company, which enabled it to share the Starbucks Experience with new customers in locations which previously would not have been accessible to the brand, such as hotels, transport hubs, business centres and universities. Such partnerships have also run successfully in the United States since 1996 with over 3,800 Starbucks licensed stores currently in operation.

Media Enquiries

Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 689191, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk