A DRIVE-THRU fish and chip shop preparing to open in Burnley is the first of its kind in East Lancashire.

Banny’s, which has a flagship restaurant at Boundary Mill in Colne, is preparing to open its purpose-built drive-thru chippy next week.

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The 4,500sqft drive-thru in Trafalgar Street will have 35 spaces and is expected to open at the start of June. It will also have a restaurant and takeaway.

This week the signage and finishing touches have been taking place, with an expected opening date of Monday, June 1.

Kimberley Hobson, from Banny’s marketing team, said: “We got the Colne restaurant opened in 2008 and the takeaway addition in 2010, and we have been planning for the drive thru since. It has taken four years to get to this point.

“It’s the area’s first purpose-built drive-thru fish and chip shop. We are quite unique. People have put takeaway kiosks in existing fish and chip shops, but nothing purpose-built.

“We are so excited about the opening. It is so close and it has taken a lot of hard work to get here.

“The Trafalgar Street area has been developed a lot in recent years and it is a very up-and-coming area. Hopefully, the drive-thru will put Burnley on the map.

“All the feedback has been really positive.

“We hope it will appeal to everyone who wants a new style of a traditional food.

“We are bringing fish and chips into the 21st century.”

She said the new location follows the nautical theme of the Colne restaurant, with beach hut seating booths and windbreak-style fencing.

The drive-thru and restaurant has created about 40 full and part-time jobs, with people recruited from the local area. It has an estimated cost of £1 million.

The site will offer breakfast between 7.30am and 11am each day – consisting of sausage and bacon sandwiches, and toasted teacakes, with the traditional fish and chip menu being served between 11am and 9pm each day.

Ms Hobson said: “We don’t know how it’s going to go because it is unique.

“The team have put everything in and now it’s the unexpected.

“We’re not going to have a big opening.

“We want our customers and products to be right rather than a big fancy opening.”