Irish coffee shop chain Insomnia has announced a partnership with Spar petrol forecourt operator Blakemore & Son as it aims to increase its UK store count to 12 by the end of this year.

Blakemore recently opened a new Spar store alongside Insomnia in Grimsby, north-east Lincolnshire.

The 5,000sq ft store has an in-store Greggs and Subway counters and Insomnia plans to open six more independently owned Spar stores in Cardiff, Bakewell (Derbyshire), Bromley, Reading and Oxford Street, London this year.

Insomnia Coffee Company chief executive Harry O’Kelly commented: “We are very proud to announce this new partnership with Blakemore retail.

“The cosy seating and relaxed atmosphere of our stores will offer tired customers the chance to properly unwind and recharge with a coffee for their onward journey.”

Insomnia opened its first UK site in 2015 and was created and co-founded in 1997 by Niall Wiseman, Derek Hughes and Brian Goff, later joined by Mark Duffy.

In July, Insomnia added more lines to its Food for Life range.