One of the country’s most popular restaurant and bar chains could soon be opening in Dundee.
Planning permission has been sought to open a branch of Italian-American restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s in the Overgate Shopping Centre.
The application was submitted on Monday, and if granted, the restaurant would be situated in the ground-floor unit once occupied by WH Smith.
The plans for the new restaurant show around 34 tables — including eight booths for larger parties.
A bar is also present in the plans, with added seating for those going in for a drink, and a large kitchen to the rear of the unit.
Frankie and Benny’s opened its first branch in Leicester in 1995 and now has more than 200 restaurants across the UK, with seven more due to open before the end of the year.
In a covering letter — written by agents CBRE — attached to the application, a spokeswoman said: “The introduction of restaurant use into the city centre retail frontage area will enhance the diversity of uses in this part of the city centre and attract visitors into the city centre, a factor that is considered to be largely important to town centres.
“The change of use will benefit the shopping centre, as well as attracting footfall.”
She added that the proposal contributes to the wider plan to increase the vibrancy of the city centre.
The spokeswoman added that the introduction of Frankie & Benny’s “will complement the current permission for Five Guys to provide a more family orientated offer in the downstairs level of the Overgate”.
She said: “Frankie & Benny’s will provide a vital new restaurant use, appropriate to the shopping area and a sustainable use for a currently vacant unit.”
The restaurant would join Five Guys, which recently opened in the Overgate.
The burger chain opened its Dundee branch at the start of November and has proven to be a popular choice for many.
Last month, Malcolm Angus, manager of the Overgate, said the centre was having to turn business away, such was the demand for units there.
He also said that discussions were under way on splitting the former WH Smith store back into two separate units, as two parties were interested in filling them.
He said at the time: “We have a range of businesses coming in and several others interested.”