Former McDonald's and Coral betting shop unit in Portsmouth will not become a Turkish restaurant

Ali Mese applied last summer to Portsmouth City Council for permission to change the use of the former Coral unit in London Road, saying the new business would ‘bring the breeze of the Mediterranean culture into the area’.

But a week after the council raised concerns about a lack of detail around proposals to install new equipment at the Exchange House unit, including ventilation fans, he withdrew the application.

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‘The intention of the vacant retail unit is to be turned into a high quality Turkish restaurant, promoting traditional Turkish cuisine,’ a statement submitted with the application said. ‘Welcoming an alternative food culture into the area will give local residents and tourists a new option to dine at.’

The building had been a McDonald's until it was taken over by Coral in 2016 before closing in 2021 with its gambling licence returned.

Under the plans, the ground floor would have had customer seating, a kitchen, a bar and toilets while the upper floor of the building, which is designated as office space but has been empty ‘for some time’, would have housed food storage, dish washing and preparation areas, as well as a staff room.

No new planning application has been submitted.

Some residents were unhappy six years ago when Coral opened, as it was the fourth bookmakers on that stretch of the shopping street. In 2015 and 2016 several measures were brought into North End – such as free parking – to try to encourage more shoppers.