Up ‘NEXT’ for Ground Expresso Bar with £3m investment

Leading coffee shop chain, who’s head office is based in Ballymoney, have made an announcement that they are expanding their operations into other parts of the UK.

Thanks to a deal with Next, Ground Expresso Bars will open three new shops within Next clothing stores in Cheltenham, London and Manchester, occupying the space once taken up by Patisserie Valerie when was sold off after going into administration.
Starting in Coleraine coming up almost 20 years ago, the company now boasts 27 coffee shops across Northern Ireland & Ireland, including Ballymoney, and if all goes to plan they hope to have 50 more shops throughout the UK within Next stores, under it’s two expansion plans.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph earlier this week, the co-founder of the coffee shop chain Darren Gardiner said;

“We are obviously delighted with this development but we feel that it is indicative of the kind of service that we provide. Next feels that we sit very well with their brand and they have identified more than 50 stores where they would like us to come on board.

This isn’t a new working relationship with Next which goes back to 2012 as Darren went onto explain.

“Our partnership with Next plc has gone from strength to strength over the years and we look forward to continued success together and to expanding the amazingly talented teams we have in Ground further throughout the UK and Ireland.”

The three new English shops could be operational ‘NEXT’ month with four other Scottish Next stores adding Ground Expresso Bars later this Summer.