Award-winning coffee shop chain looks to open shop in Chorley

Rhode Island Coffee plans to move into the former Brighthouse store on New Market Street.

Rent-to-own firm BrightHouse, which had 2,400 employees, went bust in March last year during the first week of lockdown.

A small independent firm, Rhode Island Coffee was chosen UK Coffee Shop Chain of the Year by the Cafe Society in 2011.

The society also gave it the Independent Coffee Shop of the Year award in 2010.

The chain operates solely in the North West and has seven outher outltes in the region - in Altricham, Blackburn, Burnley, Crewe, Oldham, Stockport and Warrington.

It said it chose Chorley - a planning application has been submmited to Chorley Council - because of its community.

Its MD Raj, who began the company as a single coffee shop in Altrincham, with a vision of “great coffee, great atmosphere and great people”, said: “We choose places where community is very important.

“I get a sense Chorley has a very distinct community.

“We’re very much about coffee, but bringing people together is core to our brand. Where people want to come together . . . the market is there, that brings people into town.

“It seems to be an opportunity for our offer. We think Chorley is a town where there isn’t that much on offer with premium coffee shops.”

He said the expected the shop, should it get the green light from the council, would employ a mixture of between eight and 10 full and part-time staff.

On its website, Rhode Island Coffee says: “We believe in community . . . and we don’t think that community stops with our town or our region.

“We all live in a truly global community these days, so while you’re enjoying your luxurious beverage, know that you wont be harming the people in developing countries who grow our coffee.

“Not only do we purchase all our coffee in an ethical way, we also support Coffee Kids, a wonderful charity who help solve the problems created by the unfairness of the global coffee market.”

Rhode Island Coffee also serve paninis, toasties breakfast, sandwiches, salads, cakes and muffins and traybakes.

Meanwhile, the proposed shop has got the thumbs up from Chorley Traders Alliance.

Chairman Malcolm Allen said: “I think it will be a nice fit for Chorley. I think with the market there it will do well.”