Zuber Issa given permission for Popeyes fried chicken restaurant & drive-thru at this Lancashire site
Lancashire will get its first Popeyes fried chicken restaurant after plans were given the green light.
The £1million-plus outlet with a drive-thru will open on the frontage of the Issa brothers’ EG Group in Haslingden Road, Blackburn, near the M65, after plans were agreed by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.
The planning application was submitted by EG On The Move Ltd, the petrol forecourt and convenience store arm of the business owned and run by Zuber Issa. Work on the drive thru/restaurant is expected to begin later this year with it likely to offer Halal chicken.
It is expected that the restaurant will employ more than 50 full and part-time staff.
Forty five neighbours were consulted by letter and a site notice was displayed. No comments were received.
Council officers said that normally this application would fail their healthy eating policy as hot food takeaways or hybrid uses incorporating such uses, are not permitted in wards where more than 10 per cent of year six pupils are classified as obese - and every ward in the borough, expect for West Pennine, currently exceeds the 10% threshold. However, two drive through restaurants within the EG land currently hold existing planning permission, and “accordingly, this fallback position overrides the health policy conflict.”
Popeyes menu and famous fans
Popeyes, a favourite with celebs, from Kim Kardashian to Cardi B, is famous for its classic chicken sandwich. The wide-ranging menu also offers cajun fries, deluxe chicken sandwich,milkshake, tubs of mac and cheese and buffalo hot wings. It also offers Southern US-style biscuits with gravy or Nutella, and a British breakfast with a Louisiana-style twist, such as a big cajun breakfast roll and cajun hash browns as well as a children’s menu including a 2 Tender Kids Meal.
A branch of Popeyes which opened in Bury New Road, Salford, in May last year proved an instant success with cars and customers queuing up for 25 hours be first in the queue on day one.
In the application, a spokesman for EG On The Move Ltd said: “EG On The Move opened two Popeyes branches in Wakefield and Leeds late last year which have proved to be very popular. We hope this outlet will be equally or even more popular.”