Taco Bell drive-thru plan for former Blackpool car showroom site

Developer the Adil Group wants to bulldoze the former Steals clothing store on the corner of Rigby Road and Salthouse Avenue for the scheme near Festival Park.

It would mean the demolition of a former car showroom which in more recent times has been used as a carpet store before it was taken over by Steals which has since relocated to the town centre.

A planning application has been submitted to the council for the redevelopment of the site, which has been vacant for more than a year.

Documents say: “The Adil Group trading since 1969 is an experienced quick service restaurant operator and developer of property.

“With its 10-year established operational base of KFCs and Costa Coffee in Blackpool they are excited to reinvest, create employment and bring the first Taco Bell restaurant for Blackpool’s community to enjoy.”

The full application is for a two-storey building with access from Salthouse Avenue, and a car park. Proposed opening hours are 10.30am until 11pm seven days a week.

The restaurant would hold up to 66 diners in total within the building, with 10 covers at ground floor and 56 at first floor.

Up to 55 new jobs would be created, including 25 part-time positions and 30 full-time positions, according to the planning statement.

Festival Park is home to businesses including the Odeon Cinema. Work to build a new bingo hall on the site has stalled.

Currently the nearest Taco Bell restaurants to the Fylde coast are in Manchester and Liverpool.

The brand mainly operates in America and sells Mexican-style fast food through a chain of franchises.

There are also plans to open a Taco Bell at the former DWP site at Norcross, off Norcross Lane, which is earmarked for redevelopment with housing and retail units.

The application will now go before town hall planners at a future date for consideration.

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