The Ipswich Costa Coffee branch which was forced to close after causing traffic chaos will now open once again for online coffee orders.

The coffee chain said it will now force customers to make their orders via its online app in advance, and queue two metres apart before collecting their drinks.

Police were called to the drive-thru on Sunday to control huge volumes of traffic after the cafe chain opened for the first time since the UK-wide lockdown, to provide drinks to those making essential journeys.

Staff decided it was best to close, saying: “Our number one priority is the safety of our store teams and customers.”

But in the firm’s latest statement, a Costa Coffee spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Costa Coffee in Ipswich Euro Retail Park will re-open on Thursday, May 7.

“The drive-thru lane will not re-open, however, customers can place their order via the Costa Coffee app and collect from the store.

“The mobile ordering feature allows customer to make an order and pay for it via their phone.

“Customers will be asked to queue outside the store, two meters from one another, and then collect their order from a designated collection area just inside the store.

“Baristas will place the order down at the collection point before moving back to allow the customer to enter and collect their order.

“The store will be open for collections between 8am and 4pm.

“We’d like to apologise to those key workers for having to close the drive-thru lane and hope they will be able to enjoy a coffee break via our mobile order offer.”

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The cafe was one of 17 locations opened over the first weekend of May, six weeks since the start of lockdown, after the coffee chair made changes to their premises, making sure their staff and customers would be able to remain safe and socially distant.

Sites at Harwich, Stowmarket, Norwich and Cambridge also opened across the east of England.