Hamilton's Palace Grounds Starbucks has officially reopened its doors, now led by the newly-crowned 2026 UK Starbucks Barista Champion, Caitlin Murray. The popular coffee spot, which has served the Hamilton community for nine years and employs more than 50 people, had been closed since January following a vehicle fire in the drive-thru lane. It is operated by OCO, a Scottish-based Starbucks franchisee that now runs 23 stores and employs around 480 people.
Barista Champion Takes the Helm
Following extensive repair works and a store refresh, customers are welcomed back to Palace Grounds with Caitlin Murray as store manager. Murray surpassed 16,000 other baristas across the UK to earn the top spot in the 2026 Starbucks Barista Championship. She began her Starbucks career at age 16 in an Inverness store and has worked her way up over the past 11 years.
After leaving school, Murray took her first job at Starbucks and quickly developed a passion for coffee, customers, and the in-store community. She later moved to the central belt to advance her career, learning drive-thru operations before becoming assistant store manager and then store manager at OCO's Airdrie store. Now, she has been appointed store manager at Hamilton Palace Grounds, OCO's flagship and largest store.
A Dream Fulfilled
Murray expressed her excitement: “Taking on Palace Grounds as it reopens is really special. It is such a busy, well-loved store and I know customers have really missed it. It’s a big part of their lives. For a lot of people, Starbucks is not just somewhere to pick up a coffee. It becomes part of their day, somewhere they feel welcome, and somewhere they get to know the team.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added: “I left school at 16 not really knowing what I wanted to do, but I found a job in a Starbucks café in Inverness. I remember coming home after my first week and saying to my mum, ‘this is the best job ever.’ Eleven years on, I still feel the same. Winning the Championship still has not quite sunk in. It has been a dream for so long, so to finally get there after 11 years was an incredible feeling. I am really excited to bring that passion for coffee into Palace Grounds and to support the team as we welcome customers back.”
Championship Details and Ambassador Role
The annual UK Starbucks Barista Championship sees employees—referred to internally as partners—progress from in-store heats through district, company, and national stages. The competition tests coffee knowledge, flavour profiles, latte art, drink quality, and customer service. This year's competition also included a store rush challenge, where finalists had to make multiple drinks in sequence while demonstrating speed, skill, and service expected in a busy Starbucks store.
As part of the title, Murray will become a Starbucks UK coffee ambassador for the next year, travelling to London for coffee tastings and meetings, and joining 42 winners from around the world for an immersive coffee experience in Amsterdam.
Community and Company Response
The reopening of Hamilton Palace Grounds has been highly anticipated by local coffee lovers. JJ O’Hara, founder and managing director at OCO, commented: “We are sorry for the disruption at Palace Grounds and want to thank our customers for their patience. It’s one of our busiest and best-loved stores – and the biggest drive-thru for coffee in the UK, so we know how much customers have missed it. It’s also a special moment for Caitlin and we are incredibly proud. She has shown fantastic commitment from the moment she joined the team, and later moving from Inverness to the Glasgow area to grow her career, learn drive-thru operations and progress into store management. To win the UK Starbucks Barista Championship and now take on the leadership of our flagship store is a huge achievement. It is a brilliant moment for Caitlin, for the Palace Grounds team and for OCO as we reopen the store.”
