A BID has been lodged to open a new restaurant in place of a popular former eaterie.

Lunch by Lancaster's, which was in Sir Isaac's Walk, Colchester, shut down in the winter.

Now an application to serve alcohol as part of a new venture has been launched.

Xiaoming Gli has asked Colchester Council for permission to serve booze on site between 11am and 8pm from Tuesday to Sunday.

The new restaurant is set to be called My Noodles.

Comments on the licensing application can be made until Wednesday by emailing licensing.team@colchester.gov.uk.

The news comes after fears were raised two chain restaurants in Stanway could be shut.

The Restaurant Group - which is behind Frankie and Benny's and Chiquito - has warned dozens of sites will be closed nationwide.

No specifics have been released about which of their venues are being axed.