A popular coffee chain has been inspected for the first time since its expansion at Swindon Designer Outlet.

Costa Coffee has been a long-standing occupant at the retail destination, but recently expanded into a new unit.

The brand had two seating areas in the middle of the public concourse near the west and north entrances of the building.

Hoardings were then spotted covering unit five in September directly facing the small ‘outside’ seating section.

Swindon Advertiser: Costa Coffee in Swindon recently expanded.Costa Coffee in Swindon recently expanded. (Image: Newsquest)

Costa Coffee moved into the vacant unit in October and has now undergone its first hygiene inspection since the relocation.

Swindon Borough Council’s Environmental Health team visited on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, and awarded the business a score of five out of five.

The coffee shop’s hygienic food handling was adjudged to be “very good” which includes the preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.

Inspectors found the cleanliness and condition of both the facilities and building to also be “very good”.

This includes having an appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control to enable good food hygiene.

Costa Coffee’s management of food safety, referring to a system ensuring that food sold is safe to eat, was also deemed to be “very good”.

It also means that evidence that staff know about food safety and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.