GNER has signed a £225,000 contract with leading hot drinks retailer Costa Coffee to open a new chain of coffee shops at stations along the East Coast Main Line.

The first five of the new Costa Coffee shops are now open at Wakefield Westgate, Doncaster and Durham stations, with more due to open in phases at various stations managed by GNER until the project is complete in September 2007.

GNER commercial director Michelle Drage said: “We are delighted to have agreed this contract with Costa Coffee, a well-known brand which will enhance the quality of our stations. Our stations need to be warm and welcoming gateways to rail travel, and providing a wide range of refreshment options is part of our strategy to respond positively to our customers’ needs”.

Costa’s property development director Clive Bentley said: “This is a great opportunity to serve our authentic Italian coffee to busy commuters on the go. We are extremely confident that this will be a successful partnership”.

The rail operator manages 12 stations along the East Coast Main Line, including Dunbar, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, York, Wakefield Westgate, Doncaster, Retford, Newark North Gate, Grantham and Peterborough.