A popular UK coffee chain closed one of its Buckinghamshire branches this week for reasons speculated to include 'high rent' and 'new competition'.

Residents in Gerrards Cross may have noticed that the building which used to house their local Costa Coffee shop on Packhorse Road has looked a little different this week.

While the coffee chain has not yet responded to a request for comment, speculation has been rife on social media about the closure of the coffee shop, which some have attributed to the growing number of similar businesses in the town. 

Susan Hutson, who lives in Gerrards Cross, told the Free Press that she first heard about the closure last week when she stopped by Costa to pick up a drink.

"The assistant behind the counter told me they were closing next week and I was quite surprised and saddened, as I used to visit fairly regularly."

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Susan said she thought the closure may have been caused by a number of factors, including a leaking roof, high rent and local competition.

She shared the news on the social media platform NextDoor, where former mayor of Gerrards Cross, Andrew Wood, confirmed the closure and added that the site, 73 Packhorse Road, had been "stripped out" on Wednesday, January 10.

The local councillor also suggested that Costa was leaving the town after struggling to sustain business amid the arrival of "new competition" in the area.

Costa Coffee has been contacted for comment.