Costa Coffee stir up interest in East Gate 

Italian coffee shop chain Costa Coffee has teamed up with Odeon as the latest to sign up for Llanelli’s £26million East Gate Development.

The coffee shop plaza will have entrances from the foyer of the new 610-seat Odeon five screen multiplex cinemas with a second access directly from the bus station which is alongside.

Britannia Construction, who have been delivering all the buildings at East Gate, have been approved to fit out Odeon and Costas which means it will be delivered in time for the October half-term premier opening with a top film premier for the school holidays which is expected to be a sell out.

Costa Coffee is a great coup for Llanelli and is signalling a huge amount of commercial interest in the Henry Davidson Development being delivered in conjunction with Carmarthenshire County Council.

Neil Dale for Henry Davidson said two more major national prominent name signings were expected in June in addition to Travel Lodge, Jenkins Bakeries, and Llanelli Scarlets, Odeon and Costa already signed up.

Llanelli Scarlets are taking one of five restaurants within the development including a merchandise shop and cafeteria and Jenkins Bakeries one of the eight retail outlets.

The Odeon cinema will feature five screens, one of 230 seats, with three disabled; and others of 154, 83, 74 and 58 seats each with two placings for those with disabilities.

East Gate is unfolding as part of the benefits of a £60million new town birth to which the county’s regeneration teams have attracted Welsh Government and European Development funding.

County regeneration director Dave Gilbert said: “Llanelli’s major regeneration programme will not only transform the town’s look but its fortunes too.

“We are really excited at the high profile names starting to take interest in this magnificent Llanelli town centre development and more will follow when East gate opens approaching Christmas and into the New Year.”

Five major projects are being developed with will showcase a wide range of arts, entertainment, leisure and business opportunities alongside the leisure, office and retail development of East Gate.

They include a new state of the art theatre, arts and social enterprise complex called y Ffwrnes, the refurbishments of Llanelly House and Llanelli Library and extensive new town centre improvements including sculptures and new canopies and lighting.