New York pizza chain, Starbucks and Co-op all planned at new Portlethen petrol station

Sbarro will be serving up slices under the new proposals - but who are the American food giants set to arrive in the north-east?

By Isaac Buchan

June 25 2024, 11:45 am

The Portlethen petrol station will be built at the City South Business Park. Image: Dandara

New York pizza chain Sbarro, Starbucks and Co-op are all planned to open up at a new petrol station near Portlethen

A proposal has been lodged to Aberdeenshire Council for signs indicating which outlets are pencilled in as part of the development.

The services were originally given the go-ahead in 2020, with owners EG Group now finding retailers to move into the units.

Portlethen petrol station plans date back years

Plans were initially approved back in 2019 for services across from the KCA Deutag building just off the A92 road between Aberdeen and Portlethen.

The site would be made up of 10 pumps, a shop and two drive-thrus, along with four electric vehicle charging points.

The new services will sit just next to the A92 south of the city. Image: Dandara

Work only began on the service station at the City South Business Park in August.

EG Group, owned by billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, are expanding further into the north-east market, already owning one site in Peterhead and securing permission for a project at Stonehaven.

Who are Sbarro?

Starbucks and Co-op are household names, but the New York chain would be a newcomer to the north-east.

The new pizzeria is the result of a partnership between US-owned Sbarro and EG Group.

The pizza chain is a staple across the Atlantic with 600 locations, but has only been in the UK for three years, with its first location in Birmingham.

Sbarro specialise in quick-service, New York style pizza sold by the slice, and have been operating since 1956.

What next for Portlethen services?

The Starbucks and Sbarro would be in the main building with the Co-op grocery store. It’s not yet known who will occupy planned drive-thru units envisioned for the development.

Work is still under way on the service station with construction firm Dandara, saying the development has created 25-30 new jobs for the local area.

You can view the full plans here.