ONE of Peebles’ most iconic buildings is back in business this week after lying empty for nine years.

The former outfitter’s at Veitch’s Corner re-opened its doors on Monday under a new guise - coffee giant Costa Coffee - and has been met with mixed reactions.

Tweeddale West Councillor Willie Archibald is all for the new addition to Peebles High Street: “After all these years of that corner being really dull, uninspiring and starting to deteriorate, it’s great that it’s been brought back to life.

“It’s somewhere cosy that people can meet up, and as most of the coffee places in Peebles are closed in the evening it’s good - especially for younger people - that there’s somewhere to go for a coffee later on. It’s place where young people congregate that isn’t a licensed premises. 

“There were some arguments that there are too many coffee shops in Peebles and that this may damage local independent businesses - but that position is absurd because if there are, say, 21 coffee shops in Peebles, it’s because it’s what people want. If there wasn’t a market for them people wouldn’t keep opening them.

“If a coffee shop is going to survive it has to be good quality and has to offer something unique - which I think the coffee shops here do. None of them are like Costa Coffee, so they will definitely survive on their own merits which is great.”

Crick Carleton, Chair of Peebles and District Community Council Planning Committee, said that while he welcomes the fact that the old building is back in use, he is concerned that the town’s status as one of the best in the country for independent retailing will be further diluted. 

He said: “Peebles is predominately made up of independent retailers and we have more than probably any other Borders town, so Costa does kind of compromise that. It does undermine the unique character of the town which we obviously want to maintain. 

“We don’t want the High Street flooded with chains and looking like every other high street.”

Kate Litster, who has run the Ramblers Coffee Shop in the Old Town for 15 years with husband Ian, was very concerned when Costa announced it was coming to Peebles. 

But now that it has opened, she has a more positive outlook: “Obviously Costa is really busy this week because it’s just opened and everyone wants to see what it’s like - so we expected that. 

“But hopefully in the coming weeks we aren’t being affected too much. We do have different things on the menu and items that are unique to us, so hopefully that works in our favour.

“It’s great that the run down building is back in use, but it is slightly worrying that it’s a coffee chain. But we’ll just have to see in the coming weeks how we fair.”