New Burger King coming to Preston in former Chiquito restaurant at marina

The fast food outlet will take over the former Chiquito restaurant building on Port Way. The Tex-Mex chain’s longstanding Preston eatery closed at the height of the pandemic in October 2020.

The plans have emerged in an application seeking permission to redesign the car park of the unit, which sits alongside the Odeon cinema.

It will be Burger King’s second drive-thru in the city, with the firm already operating one at the Fulwood Central development on Eastway.

According to documents submitted to Preston City Council’s planning department, there would be no change to the current vehicular access point to the site. However, the installation of the takeaway-ordering lane would result in a reduction in parking spaces from 30 to 22 - including two collection bays and two spaces reserved for blue badge holders. Four cycle storage areas would also be created.

Several trees would have to be removed to accommodate the new layout, but new planting would form a “green wall” within the site. The building will be refurbished inside and out and the main entrance doors relocated.

A submission made to the local authority on behalf of the applicant - London-based BKUK Group Limited - states that the drive-thru lane will sit “comfortably” along the eastern edge of the building and declares there will be no adverse impact on surrounding roads.

It adds: “The proposals will facilitate Burger King’s occupation of the site as well as expand the food offering and attract additional customer footfall, which should be supported.

“The resulting improvements and alterations to support the viability of the restaurant use will result in the continued provision of local jobs.

“The improvement to the viability of the existing restaurant operation is supported by planning policy [in Preston].. As a result, the principle of the development should be considered entirely acceptable.”

The nearest homes to the site are some 300 metres away.