AN AMBITIOUS teenage entrepreneur, who took on multi-national chains Starbucks and Costa when he set up his own city centre coffee shop, is expanding following a successful first year in business.

Since opening Coffee Corner in Sunderland aged 18, Callum Troup has doubled his predicted turnover at the city centre coffee shop and taken on his first employee.

He is now set to open a pavement cafe next summer after successfully gaining planning permission and is also creating his own blends of coffee.

“The pavement cafe will give us the extra tables that we need here and I’m now looking to open another shop and take on more staff,” said Callum, who took business studies at Sunderland’s Bede College. “My aim is to have a chain of coffee shops and I would like to move into Newcastle and the MetroCentre next. “It has been hard work but I just love running my own business. I grew up in a business environment as my mother runs Little Treasures nurseries in Washington and Sunderland and I’m sure that gave me the confidence to take the plunge.

“It has been a great first year and all my customers, whether they eat-in or buy a take-away, have been so supportive and friendly. I use local suppliers whenever I can and I am really looking forward to next year when I’ll be expanding and creating my first unique blend of coffee.”