A DRIVE-thru branch of Costa Coffee in Poole has reopened.

The drive-thru at Tower Park is one of a number of branches to reopen across the country .

It is operating between 8am and 4pm.

It comes after Costa Coffee initially reopened just two drive thrus and two stores at the end of April.

Speaking last week, Jill McDonald, the CEO of the chain, said: "The safety of our team members and customers is our number one priority and ahead of these stores re-opening, we put in place new social distancing guidelines, enhanced hygiene procedures and are providing teams with personal protective equipment.

"We have been really pleased with how well our stores teams have been able to adapt to our new ways working, allowing us to serve great coffee, as safely as possible.

"We have also received some great feedback from our customers and key workers taking advantage of enjoying a well-deserved coffee break whilst on essential journeys to or from work.”

The drive thrus are open to all customers, however, Costa Coffee said they are intended to offer critical and key workers the chance to enjoy a Costa on essential journeys.

"As part of re-opening these additional stores, we are continuing to help support everyone who’s keeping the country moving, delivering thousands of our Ready-to-Drink Costa Coffee cans to key workers near those stores re-opening, including hospitals, police and fire stations and NHS call centres.

"It’s just one of our small tokens of appreciation to the people out there who are giving so much.

"Whilst most of our stores remain closed we continue to pay our store team members 100 per cent pay and are incredibly grateful to those who have volunteered to work across these re-opening stores and to those who have been managing our first four stores this past week."