Costa queues as motorists wait hours at reopening of drive-throughs

The opening of Costa Coffee drive-throughs this morning was met with lengthy tailbacks at takeaway chains in Edinburgh, Wakefield and Glasgow as drivers waited to get their coffee fix.

And thirsty customers queued for more than a kilometre to get a coffee at a branch in Snowhill Retail Park in Yorkshire as it reopened after more than a month on Saturday.

Key workers are furious, claiming people popping out for takeaway food and drinks are ignoring warnings and pleas from the government and NHS staff to remain at home.

Four coffee-chain branches reopened in Manchester, Bristol, and Mansfield – two delivery only, two drive-through – on April 24, a month after the lockdown began.

And a further 12 delivery only and 17 drive-through stores reopened in towns and cities including Croydon, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, and Newcastle on May 2.