Starbucks wants to hire 7,500 baristas in the UK, mostly outside the south

Fancy a job pouring flat whites? Starbucks says it will hire 7,500 new baristas in the UK over the next five years, with a big push outside the south of England.

The US coffee chain already employs more than 18,000 people in Britain. Now it wants to grow "north of the M25", the motorway that rings London.

What happened?

Starbucks announced the hiring plan on Monday. The new jobs would focus on the Midlands, the north of England, Wales and Scotland.

The roles are meant to staff 500 new coffee shops, which the company hopes to open across the country by 2031. It first set out that expansion plan in March.

Darren King, who runs Starbucks UK, said the company is "deeply focused on how we can help more young people into these positions, starting by making entry-level roles as accessible as possible."

Why does it matter?

Young people are struggling to find work. The number of 16–24-year-olds classed as Neet (not in education, employment or training) rose above 1 million at the start of the year, a record high.

The wider jobs market isn't helping. A monthly survey from KPMG and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation found employers pulled back on hiring in October, ahead of last month's budget. Permanent placements fell for the first time in four months, and temporary hiring dropped for the first time since March.

KPMG's UK boss Jon Holt blamed fresh geopolitical and economic uncertainty, energy price shocks and a global bond sell-off that pushed up borrowing costs. He warned that with interest rates rising and inflation expected to climb, the "green shoots" in the jobs market could stall.

Separate research from the Resolution Foundation, a UK think tank, found job satisfaction among British workers is at a record low.

What came before?

Starbucks announced a global restructuring in September 2025, costing about $1bn (£750m). It included closing underperforming stores, and the company shut dozens of them in Britain last year.

What's next?

The plan runs to 2031, so the jobs will arrive gradually as new shops open. For young job-seekers in the Midlands, the north, Wales and Scotland, it could mean more entry-level openings nearby.