COSTA Coffee have confirmed when work will start on a new drive-through store in Carlisle.

The barista chain will begin construction on the pod-style cafe at London Road Retail Park next week.

A spokeswoman from Costa Coffee told the News & Star: “The new store will create 18-20 new jobs and providing there are no delays, we are looking to open in August.”

The branch will be in an area of the car park that is currently home to Pizza Hut, B&Q, Pets at Home and Laura Ashley.

It will sit in between Pizza Hut and B&Q and take up about six parking spaces in the car park.

Once open, motorists will be able to grab a cup of coffee and a selection of hot and cold food without having to leave their vehicles.

An indoor cafe area for those wishing to sit in will also be created.

The coffee giant first came to Carlisle in 1998, and now has five other outlets in the city, with other bases operating in service stations at Southwaite to the south and Todhills to the north of the area.

Its other outlets include one in Waterstone’s bookstore on Scotch Street, plus a nearby cafe a few doors away underneath the Old Town Hall.

There are also others at Court Square and in The Lanes shopping centre.

Last summer, Costa saw its name emblazoned across the newly revamped coffee shop in the the atrium of the Cumberland Infirmary.

A Costa Express is also present in the Tesco superstore, in Rosehill, among others.

The drive-through is a relatively new concept for the business designed to give customers a convenient way of how they buy coffee.

The coffee-house company opened its first drive-through store at Nottingham in May 2011.

Recruitment of the new jobs is set to take place in the spring.

The coffee giant pays the National Living Wage to all of its employees, including those who are under the age of 25-years-old and not legally entitled to it.

Details of the positions up for grabs will be posted at the time on www.costacareers.co.uk