World famous coffee franchise Starbucks will take possession of a new drive-thru venue in Portadown next month.
The development – next to the Asda store – has already been completed.
Work began on the outlet in the summer of last year, with speculation growing as to the intended tenants.
Now it has been confirmed that Starbucks will be taking over the new unit.
No opening date has yet been confirmed, but the “handover” of the property to the coffee chain has been agreed for “March 2025”.
The new drive-thru – which also includes internal seated area and toilet provision – boasts a floorspace of close to 2,500 sq ft. There will also be seating outside too.
The development includes close to 40 car parking spaces and cycle stands.
Access will be via Joseph Street.
The drive-thru is the first phase of development which is being marketed as the ‘Northway Retail Park’. The expansive and previously vacant site is adjacent to Portadown Rugby Club and next to the Northway.
And already work is underway to secure tenants for a latter unit or units.
No construction work has yet taken place but a fast turnaround would be expected when contracts are agreed.
Avison Young is in charge of letting the property.
The agent says there exists the opportunity for a “potential second shell specification drive-thru” on the site of approximately 2,500 sq ft, subject to planning, or the construction of three café/restaurant units of approximately 2,260 sq ft each, for which planning has been agreed.
Avison Young has confirmed phase one is “pre-let to Starbucks”.
And, in marketing the site to future enterprises, it describes it as being in a “highly prominent location with extensive frontage onto the Northway arterial route”, which has a “significant high volume of passing vehicular traffic flow”.
The site is next to “an extremely busy Asda Superstore and petrol filling station”.
The agent adds: “Portadown is regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s major commercial towns. Situated within the borough of Craigavon, Portadown is located approximately 23 miles southwest of Belfast, 10 miles from Armagh and 65 miles from Derry/Londonderry.
“It Is well served in terms of infrastructure with established railways and motorways.”
The new Portadown Starbucks, meanwhile, will be the third earmarked for the borough.
A unit is already operating at the nearby Marlborough Retail Park in Craigavon, while another is planned to open in Banbridge this year, with a number of full and part-time jobs already being advertised.
