Costa King Street Ludlow in Shropshire

Visited regularly for a fortnight. Much depended on the Barista on duty. On occasions the coffee was excellent but on occasions it was average and on one occasion unacceptable. Toilets were often of dubious cleanliness.Too often seats were taken by older clientele who seemed determined to make a cup last for ages so they could chat to their regular friends for an unreasonable duration.

Went into Costa today with my children, one of whom needed to use the loo so that was our first port of call. The sight & smell of both toilets would have caused a pig to faint. Utterly filthy& disgusting & they didn't get in that state in the course of a day. Stains all over the walls& floor,toilet itself absolutely encrusted with grime. I don't know if Costa staff have to use the same facilities as their customers but I sincerely hope not if they then return to a food prep area Needless to say we didn't use their facilities & rapidly lost our appetite for their products! I advise you to check out the loos before you order anything, at all,whatsoever!

Very poor…. Cut the vegetarian toasty with the same knife as the ham one! Both only toasted on one side… taps in bathroom running constantly. Shame on you Costa!

Had coffee, sandwich and a Cinnamon Brioche... none of it nice... made me belch for two hours after... the Brioche was old and borderline stale... coffee insipid and the sandwich a bit sweaty...my wifes panini was horrid and she left it...oh and for the icing on the cake the toilet was out of order... last Costa I ever go in

Visited Saturday 3rd September 2022. A very large cafe with outside seating. We had coffees and sandwiches and cake which were good. Staff were friendly.

We use our local Costa regularly but during a weekend away our visit to the Ludlow Costa was really disappointing. Food was ok but the member of staff who served us was pretty rude and argued over the size of coffee I know I ordered as we have it most every day!!! Very unprofessional.

My partner and I, on a week's break in the Ludlow area, popped into Costa Ludlow for a quick lunch. Tables were left uncleared, there was a long wait for service and our coffees could have been much warmer. The actual taste was good as always, but our two lattes were lukewarm. The egg mayo sandwich and chicken panini were just average. At £15 for our snack, this did not represent good value for money. And the toilet..... wet floor strewn with toilet paper, and a dirty sink. This place needs a change of staff.

Called in for some takeaway drinks and they firstly didn’t have half the drinks available as they didn’t have the syrups. We had two brownies to go with them and honestly they were not edible. Would not rush back over priced and not good.

Went for coffee today and found Ludlow Costa to be seriously lacking. Just had a coffee and no food but the place looked unloved and the staff were disinterested. Would like to make an excuse for them by saying it is the day before the second lockdown but not convinced.. I suspect this is their normal lacklustre attitude!

Very disappointed with Costa today. The hand sanitizer was empty ,slow service and already had run out of blueberry muffins at 10.30 am-not a good first impression.The table hadn’t been wiped clean and the accompanying chair was littered with crumbs.I did see a member of staff wipe one table with a cloth but no sign of sanitizer used.We have used Costa many times in the past and always been satisfied.They need to get their act together and sort Ludlow branch out,!!!

I'm not one for ranting online... but today I'm going to channel my inner Karen. We just popped into Costa in Ludlow. Good to see that they're taking COVID seriously with no indoor seating and a one way system. Shame I can't say anything about the staff member behind the counter. Greeted with "Nice Masks, haha". Then continuing to say "you know you don't have to wear those for another week?" I am on the shielding list and this was actually my first time going into a cafe/restaurant since lockdown. We picked costa because of it being a large company they would have suitable practices put into place. Plus it was empty. The staff member, a portly male, was not wearing a mask or visor. We swiftly left after this encounter as I'm not going to allow this person to serve me food.

We are regular visitors to Costas on our travels but found this one lacked any atmosphere. We were also disappointed to wait 8 minutes to be served and watch for at least 7 minutes a hot tap being run and seemingly ignored by the staff. When the chap turned it off several of us breathed a sigh of relief - the staff member might think differently if he was paying the water bill! We had a QR code for a free coffee but the staff were unaware of what to do so that was painful. I just feel the staff need a bit of a lift and motivation - not the best we have visited.

We usually enjoy our visits to Costas coffee shops but unfortunately the one in Ludlow when we dropped in for our caffeine fix seemed to be very down market with noisy customers, slow service and generally scruffy.

As Costas go this is nothing special. Most staff slow and surly. Too many regulars hogging seats and reading free newspapers with empty cups. A social hub .

Visited during medieval Christmas fayre. Appreciate it was busy. 2 stars because the shop was grubby and scruffy. Staff talking sarcastically to each other and other customers reference my partner who was using crutches and struggling whilst waiting for the long queue to use the disabled toilets. Good quality coffee otherwise for appearance and attitude it would be 1

We visited Costa in Ludlow on a Saturday afternoon for a hot chocolate, I tried the Bonfire version which was very nice you can't go wrong with Costa.

Because of reviews here which said you can take your dog in we headed here especially for a Sunday coffee and cake only to be told that we would have to sit outside with our dog with the smokers. How is that dog friendly? Take our dog into Neros all the time - unfortunately not one on Ludlow!

Scruffy place, much prefer Starbuck's coffee on A49 just out of town. Don't really go there anymore go to Taste at no 1, good strong coffee, friendly chatty staff, dogs allowed in, convivial atmosphere always.

I visit Costa in Ludlow a lot.It is always a good experience.Nice, staff, who work hard, as it is a busy branch.I enjoy going in.It is comfortable and clean and the standard of produce service is high.You can sit outside, too and watch the world go by.Ludlow is a very attractive town.

Called into this cafe as we needed some sustenance before starting on the homeward journey! Quite a large place with plenty of tables (some outside) although we noticed that although not very busy, a number of tables had not been cleared! Good choice of cakes and pastries (as in all Costa's) but unable to find a sandwich pack without mayo - alergic to mayo! Coffee was good and the atmosphere was pleasant. Staff were pleasant and friendly but for some reason (although nowhere near closing time) the toilets were closed for "cleaning" and were still closed when we left about 2 hours later!

Coffee and service were as to be expected but tables were piled high with used cups etc. Not an invitation. The toilets could have been cleaner.

My preferred coffee. Always look for costa coffee cafe wherever I go.

Being almost next to the Ludlow museum, it's a good place to stop for a coffee or cup of tea and watch people walk the lovely street. Good coffee and fast service. Also some outdoor seating.

This is always busy, which is a good sign, the staff there are friendly & can provide you with some nice coffee plus some tasty goodies etc. well worth a visit.

Visiting the area, cold wind, started to rain, so popped in for Coffee and bit of cake. Staff friendly, helpful, but busy place, so queue's, table's slow to be cleared, toilet could have been cleaner. Upside, great Coffee, nice cake's and room warm.

....of my favourite coffee I would have sought a ‘Mom & Pop’ store (which on reflection I should have!)

Lovely food, welcome drink and friendly staff. Well located in centre of town near to the castle so ideal for a pre castle visit

A very cold day, in need of a warm drink, some food and a toilet. Clean, a warm decent hot chocolate.

I have visited the King Street Costa three times since it underwent a refit in November. The place is now pleasant and welcoming and the lattes (served in tall glasses) were excellent. The tables by the windows allow people watching in King Street and there are also several small tables outside which will be pleasant later in the year.

Called in here out of the cold for coffee, very cosy and friendly place, comfortable seating, friendly staff and a great cappuccino.

Just wanted a sandwich and a coffee etc and a quiet sit down for half an hour before going to a rehearsal in the church just up the road. I like the costa brand so happy to wait in the long queue as I had quite a bit of gear with me which I had carried some way from the car par and it wasn't appropriate to leave it unattended anywhere.

Usual Costa nice bits but why does no body look after the loos in this one? Awful. Others have said similar please read and act on the reviews?.

Of course the normal chain but this one had more style and was very comfortable.. costa always has nice coffee and good cakes.

Obvioulsy short-staffed, but no excuse for Absolutely disgusting toilets and dirty cutlery. Very expensive for what we had

Nice coffees, but jaded interior requiring a thorough cleaning throughout. Wouldn't be my first choice next time we visit Ludlow. In a good location, dog friendly and staff friendly. Could do with more staff to maintain the cleanliness of the place.

We stopped her for a quick cup of tea and coffee whilst exploring Ludlow and wished we hadn't! My decaf tea had no taste to it at all and was served (as it appears all hot drinks are) in a nasty thick chunky cup. The tables were sticky and left uncleared for long periods of time. The toilets were dirty and smelly and opened directly into the café. Don't go here if alternatives are available. I can't believe anywhere else in Ludlow could be as bad as this.

Coffee barely warm. Tables and floors dirty. Tired decor and advised by better half not to use toilets unless desperate!

Poor coffee shop, flies on the cakes, average coffee and completely let down by the dirty smelly toilets. There is no reason for this. One very small toilet which appeared not to have been properly cleaned for some time.

This is a fairly standard Costa coffee outlet with friendly staff. We had two Americanos which were extremely strongly flavoured, but they revived us when we needed revival. We used the toilets and have to agree with other reviewers in saying that they could be a lot better.

If you like a good cup of coffee, then this is the place to visit, it is just a small distance from the the town square, as well as a coffee they can provide you with some nice snacks or something more substantial if you wish & all for a very reasonable price.

It really is time that the toilets in this café were cleaned!

As always, good coffee, nice cakes and usual surroundings. Only place in Ludlow open at 5 on a Sunday

We grabbed a couple of cappuccinos here while we had a whirlwind visit of Ludlow. Fast service and good hot coffee that stays hot for a little while in the cold January weather.

It may be a bit unfair to Costa but as there are plenty of other charming cafes in Ludlow there's no reason to go to Costa... apart from when everywhere else is closed.

Well located Costa across two shop fronts in the centre of town. Usual range of Costa offerings varying in price, plenty of seating including outside, unfortunately very small toilets although there is a disabled toilet instead if needed. Good for people watching, meeting at a central point or just relaxing with a coffee.

If you fancy a nice cup of coffee while you are in this very old country town, then make your way to this café which is not far from the Market square. The staff there can provide you with a great cup of coffee & something to eat for a very reasonable price.

Very helpful polite staff, efficient cordial service. As always a very good cup of coffee, consistant standard and service.

Standard Costa cafe, limited food, toasties prepacked diabolical tasteless, not value for money. Coffee of reasonable standard, no better or worse than any other cafe in Ludlow

Always busy but never any staff clearing tables Standard costa coffee but take away. Struggle for a seat and if you get grab one it’s probably fronted by litter. Could be so good

Given the array of places to get a coffee/cake/snack in Ludlow, why would you go to this soulless, mediocre chain ?

Returned to this little gem last week and again did not disappoint. Coffee always good and nice seating by a large window to watch the world go by. Would recommend to a friend any day. Fantastic home made cakes and fare.

We were in Ludlow, which in the past had three michelin restaurants and was regarded as a destination foodie country town.

Yet another coffee totally ruined by cafe church taking over with absolutley no regard to customers trying to enjoy a quiet relaxed coffee !! The volume of the singing is deafening making conversation impossible !! It is a great shame this otherwise lovely costa with excellent staff has this monthly event.

Este estar en el centro de la ciudad siempre está muy lleno y en algunas visitas el servicio es lento, como es la liquidación de las mesas para nuevos clientes, no estoy seguro de si necesitan más personal. Tratamos de evitar que si podemos

Bueno para refrescarse, pero comenzando a verse desgastado contra las ramas nuevas con mobiliario más moderno.

Intentamos llegar a un gran número de salas de té tradicional en Ludlow durante la reciente ola de calor. Todos eran un calor sofocante y francamente decepcionante. (Desaliñado, caliente y algo desagradable) terminamos en Costa. El capuchino sobre hielo era preciosa, el sandwich estaba fresquito y no acurrucarse. El personal era agradable. A 45 minutos de placer. Estoy asombrado los otros lugares a sobrevivir.

Típico de la costa, aunque en 1830 en 1730 se apaga las mesas de afuera estaban siendo llena de distancia. Té y pasteles justo lo que necesitábamos después de 3 horas en coche antes de cenar más tarde. Generalmente limpias y ordenadas.

En casa nos visita Costa sobre una base regular. En estas vacaciones visitamos Costa en Shrewsbury, Hereford y Ludlow. Todas son muy similares - buen café, personal amable y popular.

Un ventilador de costa, pero esta franquicia es perder su nivel gran tiempo de barista. Mi Americano era amargo, y delgadas, haciendo el café quemado. Mi esposa le guste un delgado húmedo, que es un capuchino capuchino sin espuma. En vez de hacer que la parte superior de la taza en la misma fuerza como normal, utilizaron el capuchino mismo One shot, que insípido, pena, ya que muestra el barman ha perdido su conciencia y su habilidad. No vamos allí.

Helpful and cheerful service. Barista went out of her way to help me with a query. Couldn't ask for more and a good coffee

If you are sight seeing in Ludlow & fancy a break for refreshments then why not make your way to Costa Coffee. This is a very busy & bustling place usually visited by locals & tourists alike. We normally have a flat white coffee & a cake which are lovely then relax a while before going on our way.

I drink here once or twice a week yes its busy and you can wait but the staff are friendly and do clear tables as often as they can there are 2 toilets in store not one as someone said all in all I like our costa

We nt in for a quick coffee and cake - wish I hadn't. I love costa coffee but this was terrible for some reason - also I had need to use the toilet which turned out to be a tiny room in the corner which had not been cleaned for a long time - thankfully I am not disabled because the size of the doorway into the toilet and the step in make it impossible except for able bodied people to use. For once I say - Costa - you need to remove this place as a franchise!

I quite like Costa coffee, but I seriously hate the process of buying it. It usually means a lot of queueing to place the order, and then getting jostled as you are forced to stand at the end of the counter waiting for the drinks to appear. It is usually confusing and at times downright unpleasant.Each time I visited this particular branch it was crowded to capacity. I found this rather odd when there are much more attractive places to go to in Ludlow. Perhaps it's the free wifi that attracts people. It cannot be for service! The staff looked under pressure, and the tables needed cleaning more frequently.Not an altogether pleasant experience.Costa management - sort out your failings! Good coffee - horrible environment.

I go to costa very regularly, but on this occasion was spoken to like a piece of dirt. A girl with long hair was serving. I had a toasty and hot chocolate. As she was putting the toasty in the machine she shouted "what size" abit confused what she was on about I said pardon. She then shouted again "what size hot chocolate" then she put the order through the till (the toasts were ready) she went on to make the hot chocolate which was week. She past the toasty and drink but didn't say a word. And the time I got the toasty it was cold. Costa please train your staff better!

Great Coffee - Dirty tables; dirty chairs; horrid toilets; EVERYTHING needed a good clean. AND needs to be kept that way by the staff. Yes they are busy, but every table was covered in crockery - get more staff if you cannot keep the place clean and tidy. AND make sure the staff clean properly, a quick skim over with a grubby cloth, is not table cleaning.Great place but a real shame it is being let down by the lack of staff to get it right.

The staff were nice enough but the coffee was overly strong and quite bitter. I've drunk in plenty of Costa's and while they aren't my first choice, they aren't too bad, this coffee wasn't great at all.But that isn't the main reason for my poor rating, sitting down with my coffee on one of the few free tables I was by the toilets, phew, they are a pretty unpleasant and spoilt what should have been a pleasant sit and relax with a coffee.Time for Costa to invest some of the money they charge for their produce back into looking after their stores!

We love Costa coffee and this is a decent example of the well known British chain. We've been to this outlet several times and it's always busy, but doesn't take too long to get served. There's always been able seating inside.We've recently fallen in love with the Gingerbread Latte - well worth a try!

This is a busy Costa with a lack of product consistency. The toilets are in need of renovation. Tables are often left uncleared for far too longl

Costa Cofe is always good which is why we head there when in a new place. The staff here is welcoming and friendly and there is an outside seating area for those who wish to smoke. The only negative thing with this coffee shop is that it has only one unisex toilet which is poorly situated and not well monitored and is the only reason it doesn't get a top rating from me.

The staff are friendly,the food is always good enough,but the dirty tables are a regular occurence,I would say this is down to being understaffed .

While the member of staff who served me was pleasant this Costa had nothing else to recommend it. I needed to pile two trays worth of empties together and return them to the counter collecting serviette to wipe the table before we could relax and enjoy our coffee. This appeared to be symptomatic of the problems in this Costa as the toilet was quite frankly disgusting to the point of being insanitary. Not a place we shall be making a return visit to!

What a dreadful experience, we arrived at tea time on a damp afternoon. We were kept waiting for about ten minutes. Everything was dirty. The tables, the floor, the area where the drinks were being prepared had a layer of coffee grinds so deep you couldn't see the work surface, and the toilets...eugh. hopefully there'd been a massive rush on before we got there, but by the time we left, a good 45 minutes later, no one had cleared any tables.

Lively and efficient. Best Costa coffee I have had because it was actually hot still after I had eaten my food

This is a Costa pleasantly furnished over two rooms. The coffee and cakes are as good as any other Costa. The staff are very pleasant and helpful. It has the atmosphere of a gentleman's club at times, early morning, from 6.30am or late afternoon until 6.30 pm. In the middle of the day it does get rather crowded. Meet your friends there for a snack and a chat.

Went on a treasure hunt around ludlow stopped off at King's head for a drink lovely job of refurbishment staff pleasant and reasonable prices. Would go again

As other reviewers have said, the town centre branch of Costas in Ludlow is rather cramped and could do with some more tables despite having a small outside terrace. One of the best things about this Costas is the medieval building and surrounding architecture. It is a pleasure to go to a coffee shop in a building with such a historic appearance. The coffee and casual foods on sale are of the usual Costas chain standards - really good coffee and good muffins, but not cheap.

A fairly roomy, but unremarkable Costa. Given that Costa coffee is not cheap, I do think they could employ more staff to clear and wipe tables.

what's not to like with any Costa? Good drinks and food and very friendly staff. My flat white was especially lovely.

Costa coffee is my favourite. The Italian-style roasting is mellow and perfect. The problem here is the lack of space and the long, slow queue. Is it not possible to expand upstairs to house more tables and then to double the coffee-making facilities? This coffee-shop is suffering from its own success.

Visited here recently, found the establishment to be very crammed and not have the usual relaxing coffee break vibe, was also quite unclean and unkempt. The coffee was very nice however as Costa is however i would not be returning here

Even late on a Saturday afternoon the place was busy. Could have been a bit more proactive clearing the empty tables that came up as there were always customers looking for space

Is your typical costa coffee. Can be quite busy in here, there isn't always somewhere to sit, and it does look very chaotic at times. You do have to wait for food most of the time and you do have to wait for your coffee most of the time as well. Never had a bad coffee here though.

Toilets not clean, used cups to the fore, indifferent service and untidy looking staff lacking control and guidance. There are much more attractive Costas.

A www, this Costa was so lovely and inviting. Yes the menu and coffee is the same but the staff were so lovely and friendly

If you have enjoyed your exploration of the lovely ancient country town of Ludlow & require some refreshment, I would suggest that you visit the Costa coffee house which has friendly & helpful staff. There are many different types of coffee & snacks etc. which can be ordered from their menu & these are all available at very reasonable prices. Good place to relax a while & take in the atmosphere of this historic town.

Tacky and brash, not at all in keeping with its surroundings in wonderful Ludlow. Costa is in a prime location in the centre of Ludlow, but looks incongruous there, Ludlow being a medieval town, this type of coffee house is not needed. Coffee is served in huge, thick cups which do no retain the heat, thus the coffee soon gets cold. There is sitting out space, so the visitor can watch the world go by. Costa does not serve local produce, all cakes are mass produced as this is part of a chain of coffee houses.

I had a mocha-latte extra hot. Service was excellent at a busy time of the day. The staff were still courteous and very efficient. The shop had tables that were cleared of used crockery and available to sit at. My only criticism was that the toilet I used had a lot of water on the floor and discarded paper also on the floor. Slightly more attention to detail would have earned Costa in Ludlow an excellent but on this occasion I can only award a very good.

My third and last visit to this branch of Costa. I found the staff surly and uninterested, even first thing, when they were not busy or rushed. Tables were left with dirty cups and debris for ages, coffee was very mediocre and tasted bland. I also found it overpriced in comparison to the Costa situated in Tesco i.e. a pot of tea for one (had given up on the coffee) was 1.75 in King Street branch yet only £1 in the Costa next to Tesco .... ????? Ridiculous mark up for one tea bag and some hot water!!Nasty coffee and similar staff to match so I won't be returning.

Very disappointed with our experience here. Service was surly and lacked any interest, totally impersonal.Coffee was weak and tasted bitter, and really could have been warmer. Very poor.

Ordered a chocolate cooler with cream and I must say I throughly enjoyed it. Service was fast and friendly. Would go again

What a lovely place to stop for a coffee. Comfy inside and a lovely terrace outside. This is not just a coffee stop more a place to relax and linger.

Costa always comes up with a good coffee...this cafe is no different.....sometimes a newspaper is free....busy and popular with tourists....and locals

warm day so popped in for a cooler drink - watermelon and strawberry, usually very nice but this one was quite weak. paid a visit to the loo whilst waiting and it must be the smallest one in the world. you could not sit on the toilet as iut was so close to the wall and there was no soap and a foul smell. never again

Not a bad costa , bit slow due to the number seats to counter space and staff, can be a bit chaotic, and sometimes needs a bit more attention on clearing tables, but it's a welcome break in ludlow

service was slow, staff appeared none too happy on the day. the atmosphere was just not the same as the costa in Tesco as there staff are always friendly and the whole place just feels more relaxed. maybe the issue is that the town one is just too busy all the time

It's a Costa. We called in at about 5 on a Sunday afternoon chiefly because not much else was still open and we wanted a drink. Took ages to get served but we seem to accept such in this country. It's ok, just, but it was near the end of the day. Staff were fairly friendly, but it was all a bit slovenly, really.

Came here after walking out of De Grey's in disgust because we couldn't get served. Coffee was good, the staff were friendly and efficient and it was MUCH cheaper! No brainer!

Well established Costa in heart of lovely town. Staff very friendly and very clean place. I was served with a smile and happy staff and very quickly. Highly recommended

Latest visit today, every single time I'm dismayed this cafe hasn't had some desperately needed maintenance - the toilets are disgusting - water (I hope) all around the toilet, broken seat today and grimy & unpleasant. The high chair I used for my daughter was similarly nasty, unfortunately we'd already bought drinks when I saw the state of the harness - is it too much to replace or at least give it a soak in some bleach? I feel sorry for the always lovely & friendly staff because they really are great, but management need to plough some of their profits into turning this grotty cafe into something on a par with every other Costa I've visited. Should have taken a photo of the toilets too, but I couldn't bear a 2nd visit, I'm attaching one of the nasty harness.