New tenants for former McDonald's branch in Wellingborough town centre confirmed

The fast-food restaurant has been boarded up for several months, but it is set to become a cafe bar called Castello Lounge run by Loungers Limited.

There had been speculation last year that the company, which also runs Kino Lounge in Kettering and Mercado Lounge in Market Harborough, was due to take over the site but a spokesman said they were not in a position to confirm any details to the Northants Telegraph at the time.

However, a premises licence for the unit has since been approved and Loungers Limited has now applied to install a new shopfront and new fascia signs.

Documents submitted as part of the shop front application state: “Loungers Ltd will be occupying this unit following its vacation by the previous occupants, McDonald’s.

“Loungers are a successful Bristol-based company that are expanding their Lounge cafe/bars across the country.

“They offer a prestige use and have won awards for both the quality of their units and their offering.

“The Loungers group source produce from local suppliers wherever possible and this will benefit the local economy.

“Furthermore, new staff will be required to operate the restaurant thus providing the opportunity for the creation of several new jobs.”

Several roles at the new cafe bar have already been advertised online and more details about applying for a job are on the website at www.thelounges.co.uk.

Wellingborough Council will now consider the plans to install a new shopfront and fascia signs.

To see the plans in full, search for WP/16/00013/FUL or WP/16/00014/ADV on the planning page of Wellingborough Council’s website.

The premises licence, which was approved last month, is for opening hours of 8am to 11.30pm Sunday to Wednesday and 8am to 12.30am Thursday to Saturday.

No representations against the application were received by the council.

According to the Loungers website, Castello Lounge is ‘coming soon’ and is due to open on April 6.