Plans for new Galway city Starbucks drive-through 1.3km from existing café as petition launched
Approval is being sought for the development of a Starbucks drive-through at the Galway Shopping Centre - less than 2km away from the same café in the city centre.
Galway City Council planning offices received the application for the Terryland site on August 13 from Atercin Liffey Unlimited.
The drive-through would be located at the Galway Shopping Centre in Terryland
The drive-through would be located on the north-east side of the car park behind SuperMacs. The plans include a north facing drive-through hatch, new signage, and a new vehicle circulation route and reconfiguration of footpaths.
In June, Galway City’s existing Starbucks took up a new location at the base of the iconic Quay Street, sparking vocal concerns over the effects a major coffee chain would have on local businesses.
“In my opinion, I don’t think it’s a great idea as for the businesses that are local. It takes away their earnings as well. You are supporting a bigger chain and more of the smaller businesses are going to go out,” one local business said speaking to the Irish Independent then.
That Quay Street location is 1.3km from the proposed drive-through location.
Members of the public are invited to make their submissions on the proposal by September 16. Planning offices will make their decision by October 7.
Meanwhile, the Galway Commuter Coalition has published a petition against the Terryland Starbucks proposal, garnering over 45 signatures within the first hour of its publication. The group claims a drive-through will only worsen traffic at the Headford Road intersection.