Costa Coffee staff making an effort

STAFF at Costa Coffee have been working to make the store more accessible to deaf customers with some staff learning sign language.

Assistant manager at the Friar Lane outlet Mark Bull, who has just started learning, said: "People consider learning a different language but no one really thinks about sign language as a separate language.

"I have always wanted to learn and I think it is important in a place like this we have people who can sign to deaf people.

"We get quite a few deaf people coming in, and a few are regulars."

One member of staff at Costa can already do sign language and Mark said others were interested in learning.

Alison Ash, welfare rights officer at Notts Deaf Society, said: "The best place to go for a coffee as a deaf person is Costa. They are very deaf-friendly. They make you feel comfortable as they have staff who can sign and they really make an effort if they don't understand you."