The high street stationer is planning to convert all 17 of its existing WHSmith cafes – based in hospitals, stations and airports – in to Coffee House venues.
It follows a successful trial of the grab-and-go offering, which serves hot drinks, sandwiches and pastries, in five hospital locations.
Outlining the plans in its interim financial results, WH Smith said the Coffee House trial had been ‘encouraging’.
“Whilst it gives us an opportunity in hospital cafés, we also have been trialling a Coffee House counter within WHSmith stores in Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Carlisle Railway Station to provide a coffee offer and to optimise the space in each of these locations,” the company said.
“We now plan to extend the trial into more WHSmith stores in existing regional rail and hospital sites.”
Coffee House is part of the company’s ‘Travel’ division – which covers WH Smith stores in transport hubs – where profits rose nine per cent in the first six months of its financial year.
Allegra predicts the UK coffee shop market will be worth over £15bn by 2020, with over 30,000 outlets nationwide.