Burger King announce new plans for empty Frankie and Benny’s restaurant in Morecambe

Burger King want to change the use of the existing restaurant (Class E) to a mixed use unit comprising of restaurant and drive thru takeaway, demolition of existing single storey extensions to side and rear, and reconfiguration of car park to create drive-thru lane and associated landscaping at the Hilmore Way site.

If approved, once Burger King occupies this unit, the existing Burger King in the town centre outside the Arndale Centre, circa 400m from the site, will be closed.

The new drive-thru restaurant will provide new part time and full time jobs.

The planning application says the principle of commercial use including the sale of food and drink items at the site and the creation of a drive-thru has been long established.

Around 15 years ago, the former drive-through lane at the restaurant was extended into and removed.

The proposal is to reinstate it in the same location and involves the provision of a single, drive-thru lane which will wrap around the existing restaurant unit.

The Hilmore Way site next to Morecambe railway station shares a car park (with a charging regime, albeit free parking for 30 minutes) with neighbouring commercial units including a Domino’s and Body Evolution Gym.

The proposals provide two grill bays which provide dedicated waiting area spaces for use where a food order requires an extended cooking time.

A further two parking spaces will be designated ‘click and collect’ spaces for customers who have pre-ordered their food or for the use of food delivery vehicles (i.e. scooters/mopeds).

Three blue badge spaces adjacent to the unit will be consolidated to provide two spaces.

Cycle parking for four cycles is also proposed to be located adjacent to the main entrance to the unit.

Prior to Frankie & Benny’s’ occupation of the unit up until 2020, the unit was originally occupied by Burger King who left the premises in c. 2008.

Lancaster City Council bought the 4,360sqm parcel of land which Frankie and Benny’s sits on in Morecambe's Hilmore Way in 2020.

There is no date for the planning application to be decided upon by the planning committee at Lancaster City Council.