Chester drive-thru restaurant plans lodged for former Brewers Fayre
The old 'Fun Factory' building would be demolished as part of the plans
The Twirl of Hay, Chester(Image: Google Street View)
Plans have been lodged to turn a vacant former Brewers Fayre in Chester into a new drive-thru restaurant. The Twirl of Hay in Great Boughton permanently shut its doors in July last year.
Owners Whitbread said that while its UK Premier Inn hotel performance had gone from 'strength to strength', some of its branded restaurants had seen a reduction in footfall from non-hotel guests. This has resulted in them struggling 'to meet their targeted levels of return', the firm added.
Now, a planning application has been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council on behalf of Whitbread for a drive-thru restaurant, with the extension that hosted the indoor play area at the one-time Brewers Fayre being bulldozed. A total of 70 full-time jobs would be created.
The application does not state who would operate the new drive-thru facility, but it's expected that the restaurant would open in 2027. The planning statement reads: ""The drive-thru restaurant will cater for dine-in and takeaway customers and online food deliveries. The proposed opening hours are 6.30am-10.30pm, Monday to Sunday.
"The part of the existing building which previously accommodated the Brewers Fayre ‘Fun Factory’ indoor play area is to be demolished to enable the installation of a drive-thru facility. A new wall on the northern elevation will be constructed with a hipped roof to tie into the existing to create the drive-thru booth.
"A new external bin storage area is proposed to the rear of the restaurant on the western elevation. The existing car park has been reconfigured to enable to installation of a drive-thru lane. New pedestrian crossings are proposed from the footpath on Caldy Valley Road to the entrance of the building, and three new pedestrian crossings will be provided within the car park to allow for customers to safely make their way from the car park to the entrance of the building.
The empty former Twirl of Hay pub pictured in April this year(Image: Google Street View)
"Landscaping is predominantly focussed centrally within the site between the drive-thru lane and parking bays and along the eastern and western boundaries of the site. Access from Caldy Valley Road will remain as existing."
Back in 2018, Great Boughton Parish Council was approached by a developer about selling a council-owned strip of land across the road from the Twirl of Hay. The developer was interested in buying the land on behalf of a fast food franchise - understood to be KFC - but after seeking the views of residents, the council decided to retain the valued green space.
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