A POPULAR fast food sandwich restaurant is set to open up a new premises inside a vacant store.

Plans submitted to Colchester Council have revealed Subway intends to takeover the former JoJo Maman Bebe site in Sir Isaacs Walk, Colchester.

A planning application states the applicant seeks to change the use of the shop from a “garment shop to Subway restaurant”.

Subway already has a number of outlets across Colchester. 

This includes sites in St Botolph's Street, Sir Isaac's Walk, Lightship Way, Sheepen Road, Turner Rise, Stanway and next to Lidl in St Andrews Avenue. 

JoJo Maman Bebe closed for good in December 2020. 

The brand said it had taken the decision not to renew the lease due to a lack of footfall and the effects of the pandemic.

Fans of the boutique baby shop, whose fans include the Duchess of Cambridge, now have to travel to Chelmsford, Bury St Edmunds or Bishop's Stortford to make purchases.

However founder Laura Tenison said she hoped the brand would be able to return to the town in the future.

At the time she said: "We are so sad to be closing our Colchester store.

"Regretfully the occupation costs, lack of footfall in that street and the knock on effects of Covid-19 closures have added up to us having to make the difficult decision not to renew the lease.

"We have 93 stores across the country and are doing everything possible to protect the jobs and keep our stores trading.

"However, on this occasion we are devastated that entering into a new lease is just not a viable option at this time.

"I’d like to thank our customers and our amazing team for their loyalty and hope we will be back with a new store in Colchester at some stage in the future.

"We remain fully committed to our high street presence."

Colchester Council has the final say on any planning application.