Taco Bell submits proposal for new restaurant in Haverhill

Global fast food giant Taco Bell could soon be opening a restaurant in Haverhill.

The company, which has more than 8,500 restaurants globally, with almost 140 in the UK, has submitted an application to West Suffolk Council for advertisement consent.

The applicant, Live Mas UK Ltd, of Guildford Road, Woking, Surrey, has applied for permission to install one internally illuminated fascia, one internally illuminated LED arch and one internally illuminated bell box fascia at the empty unit next to Cineworld in Ehringshausen Way.

The premises has been empty for 14 months following the closure of the Anatolia Mediterranean Grill & Cocktail Bar, which traded on the site for 17 months.

Prior to that, the restaurant had been home to Frankie & Benny’s for many years and following its closure in 2020, was occupied for a few months by Crunchy’s, which served Turkish and American inspired food.

A statement submitted by the applicant’s agent, Hone Edwards Associates, said: “The existing shopfront has a designated signage zone that the proposed signage is within.

“It is also worth noting the existing design of the building is not part of the conservation zone and is not a listed building and the proposed signage is not out of place set within this modern time.

“The signage is internally illuminated and the illumination is static again not out of place within the setting and along side the adjacent units.”

Planning had been approved for a Taco Bell to open in the former William Hill bookmakers in High Street, Haverhill, in February 2023 but by the end of the year the proposal had been dropped.

Taco Bell specialises in Mexican inspired dishes, such as burritos, tacos, nachos and quesadilla and the vast majority of its restaurants are operated on a franchise basis.

The nearest Taco Bell to Haverhill is currently in Cambridge and there are five operating in Suffolk; two in Ipswich and one in Lowestoft, as well inside RAF bases at Lakenheath and Mildenhall, which are not open to the general public.