Franchised coffee chain Esquires Coffee has added two stores in Balham, London, and Esher, Surrey.

Esquires acquired the pre-existing coffee house Lavish Habit in Balham on 7 August, while the second store in Esher will open on 25 August and will be the fourth Esquires Coffee house for franchise owner Chris Rance.

The stores will specialise in organic coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and brunch-inspired menus including avocado on toast and smoked salmon bagels as well as “coffee shop sweet treats”.

“With rent and rates in main city centres becoming increasingly unaffordable, creating destination coffee shops that serve and act as the hub of the community in suburban locations makes better business sense for Esquires Coffee franchise owners,” said Esquires Coffee marketing manager Kerry Noble.

The openings will take the firm’s total number of sites to 31 and it aims to open three more in Yate (Glos), Hanley (Staffs) and Liverpool by the end of the year.

“We are recruiting new franchisees for single and multistore units, as well as through the acquisition of smaller existing coffee chains should the opportunity arise,” Noble added.

The company revealed to British Baker that it has ambitions to have 200 outlets by 2021 in the UK.