A NEW chain is tipped to move into a former Pizza Hut restaurant which closed at the end of last year.

The branch at Junction 27 retail park, Birstall, saw its last day of trading on December 30.

At the time, the company said the closure was “beyond our control” and it was doing all it could to redeploy staff to other restaurants.

Plans have now been submitted to Kirklees Council to open a new Tim Hortons in the unit, which lies in the Birstall and Birkenshaw ward.

The application says: “Tim Hortons is a relatively new entrant to the UK market and can best be described as a restaurant chain with a coffee and bakehouse offer. 

“The brand was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 

“It has since grown into Canada’s most loved brand with over 4,500 stores from coast to coast. Known affectionately as ‘Timmy’s’, it is a place famous for its fresh coffee and baked goods and is visited by more than 5.3m Canadians daily (approximately 15 per cent of the population). 

“As well as coffee and doughnuts, Tim Hortons serves a wide variety of food and beverages such as toasted bagels and wraps.”

It says the first UK store opened in 2017 and there are now 27 outlets, with more opening soon. 

“Its current focus is to expand its drive-thru model, including at the proposal site,” adds the application. 

“Tim Hortons will operate in much the same way as Pizza Hut has on this site for approximately 30 years, offering restaurant facilities with a take-away option. 

“The occupation of the unit by Tim Hortons will therefore not result in a material change of use of the premises.”

The application says it seeks to “improve consumer choice” by providing a drive-thru facility for those who wish to purchase food and/or drink to take away. 

It says: “The restaurant will operate in a similar way to existing coffee shops and restaurants with drive-thru facilities, although, the nature of the Tim Hortons offer means the business and usage is not directly comparable to that of any of the existing UK coffee shop or restaurant operators.”

It concludes: “The introduction of the drive-thru lane will provide customers with a choice of either ‘eating in’ or allowing them the convenience of using the drive-thru facility, an option that is popular with customers and is now provided by a wide range of food and beverage operators.

“The proposal does not result in any adverse impacts in terms of highways, transport or parking, nor does it impact on residential amenity.”

It says the proposal will bring an empty unit back into use, make improvements to its external appearance “and will provide the more modern facilities now expected by the public”.

The application adds: “It will also bring about much needed investment during the construction phase and upon occupation of the unit by Tim Hortons and local employment opportunities will be created.”