A closed pizza restaurant could become a drive-thru coffee shop.

Tim Hortons has applied to convert the vacant Pizza Hut restaurant, in Weston Links, into a drive-thru facility.

Pizza Hut closed its Winterstoke Road restaurant in September as part of a national restructure, but its Locking Road takeaway and delivery store remains open.

An additional exit from the site has been proposed, while part of the building could be demolished to provide a drive-thru lane.

Tim Hortons opened its first UK restaurant in 2017. The Canadian fast food chain specialises in hot drinks, breakfast muffins, doughnuts and burgers.

A spokesman for William Gallagher, planning consultants for Tim Hortons, said: "The introduction of the drive-thru lane will provide customers with a choice of either eating in or allowing them the convenience of using the drive-thru facility, an option that is popular with customers and is now provided by a wide range of food and beverage operators, including the McDonalds on the adjoining site.

"The proposal does not result in any adverse impacts in terms of highways, transport or parking, nor does it impact on residential amenity. It will have a reduced impact in terms of odours than may be the case with many other restaurant uses that could occupy the building.

"It will also have a positive impact on the accessibility of the building for customers, separating the restaurant and takeaway trade in a manner which will improve the safety of the car park and the offer to customers.

"The proposal will result in the re-use of a recently vacated building, improvements to the external appearance of the building and will provide the more modern facilities now expected by the public.

"It will also bring about much-needed investment during the construction phase and upon occupation of the unit by Tim Hortons, including local employment opportunities."

The Mercury reported a similar proposal last week after Burger King applied to convert the former Frankie & Benny's restaurant on the Flowerdown Retail Park into a drive-thru restaurant.

A number of nationwide chain eateries have left Weston in the past year; Frankie & Benny's closed permanently last June, followed by Pizza Express confirming in August it had closed its Dolphin Square restaurant, alongside Prezzo leaving the same area this March.