The coffee house opened last month on the site of a former shoe shop in Toll Gavel, the heart of the town's shopping area.

But the premises do not have planning permission for the change of use from a retail unit and its opening has angered other traders who say it is a blow to small independent coffee shops in Beverley.

Costa has now submitted a retrospective application for the change of use, which will be considered by East Riding Council.

The authority is carrying out consultations on the planning application, which is due to be considered by Beverley Town Council planning committee next week.

But it has already sparked protests from other traders who claim the town does not need more coffee shops.

John Brooks, chairman of Beverley Chamber of Trade, said the application should be turned down.

"The bottom line is they have opened without this change of use being authorised," he said.

"It is going to have a massive knock-on effect on all the independent coffee shops in Beverley and do we really need another big brand coffee shop in the centre of the town?

"In my opinion this does nothing for Beverley, and brings nothing we have not already got. No-one is going to come to Beverley to have a Costa coffee - what we need to bring people in is something unique, like the Fat Face shop which is opening, which is fantastic, but we have plenty of coffee shops and we don't need any more."

A spokesman for East Riding Council confirmed that the coffee bar opened without planning permission.

He added: "There is now a retrospective application for permission for change of use, and also to retain the signage."

The council spokesman said that depending on the response to the consultations, a decision on the application may be delegated to planning officers, or may go before the council's area planning committee.

No comment was available from Costa at the time the Beverley Guardian went to press yesterday.