JAPANESE restaurant Wagamama is set to open in Colchester High Street.

The chain will open in the former Coffee Aroma and the William H Brown Estate Agents.

The cafe has been closed since earlier this year while the estate agent is set to move to Culver Street West as part of a planned relocation.

A licensing application has been lodged by the chain with Colchester Council and it is hoped the restaurant will be open in time for Christmas.

It will be open between 10am and 12.30am Monday to Saturday and from 10am to midnight on Sundays.

The move has been welcomed by Darius Laws, Colchester councillor for the town centre Castle Ward.

He said: “Wagamama is a great brand to welcome to our historic town and will offer more choice for everyone.

“Colchester is the sleeping giant of the East and ensuring top retail and restaurant brands are here is critical to our future as a leading destination.”

The chain has more than 140 restaurants in the UK and Ireland.

As it stands, the nearest locations to Colchester are Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Lakeside, in Thurrock.

Paul Smith, leader of Colchester Council, which has stated its desire to revive the town centre, said: “This is yet more good news for the town centre after the opening of Taco Bell and [Brazilian restaurant] Preto.

“It certainly shows there is an interest in the economy in the town centre.

“It is significant that so many of the big chains want a presence in the town centre but I suspect some of them, with the exception of Taco Bell, will also want an out of town.”

Mr Smith added Colchester’s demographic suits restaurants and cited figures published as part of the Fenwick expansion of the former Williams & Griffin.

He said there was a substantial population aged in their 20s and 30s with disposable income to spend in the evening while those aged in their 50s and 60s were statistically bigger spenders at lunchtime.

Mr Smith added: “Coming to Colchester for restaurant chains like Wagamama is a double win really.”