Coffee giant Starbucks is to open a second outlet in Bradford city centre.

The US-based firm already operates a stylish Wool Exchange branch above the Waterstones book store and its further investment in the city will be seen as a major boost.

Starbucks will occupy a ground floor unit in the crescent-shaped Centenary Square development alongside Lloyds No 1 Bar.

Plans submitted to Bradford Council outline space for 13 tables, with chairs and soft furnishings alongside a coffee bar.

It is the latest in a series of coups for the £8 million complex opposite City Hall which was developed by St James Securities.

In October Masti opened - apart from being among the first restaurants in the city to combine Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, it also features the North's first "shisha" lounge where diners can enjoy fruit-flavoured tobacco in hookah-style pipes.

And in November the Telegraph & Argus revealed that the building had helped Bradford to poach one of the UK's top photographic galleries.

The world-renowned Impress-ions Gallery will relocate from York to a premises on the upper floor in the summer.

A spokesman for Starbucks was not available for comment but Dave Preece, group planning manager for Bradford Council, said the development fits in well with the overall ambition for Centenary Square.

He said: "We were hoping to see more family oriented coffee shops and restaurants - we are not approving retail units there.

"We want to see places that will take advantage of the area's square and we look forward to others, like the Chinese restaurant, opening."

The Huddersfield-based Chino Thai chain is fitting out a unit in the building. It was originally set to open in September but switched that date to November, it is now expected to open in the spring at the earliest.

The city centre's second Starbucks comes hot on the heels of Costa Coffee which opened a premises on the corner of Kirkgate and Ivegate, previously home to a pub.

Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration and culture, Councillor Simon Cooke, said: "It has taken a whole lot to get that development fully occupied and, once we get the new art gallery in there, I think it will be a real asset to the city - the developments that are moving in are of a really good quality."