A NEW Turkish eaterie coming to a town centre will be able to host more than 200 diners.

More details of the Istanbul Restaurant and Bar proposed for the former Reidy's music store in Blackburn have been revealed in the planning application for the development.

The project on Nab Lane - near Blackburn College, the town's sports and leisure centre and the new Reel Cinema - will have 55 tables and accommodate up to 220 diners with more space available in the ground floor bar.

The planning application by Ryan Monks of Bury-based The Atrium Group has been welcomed by Blackburn Central ward councillors Zamir Khan and Mahfooz Hussain as well as Conservative regeneration spokesman Cllr Paul Marrow.

There is already a successful Istanbul branch on Bury Old Road in Cheetham Hill in Manchester.

The new restaurant dovetails with plans for a new leisure quarter of bars and restaurants in the £3.8million Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project.

The music store, which next year celebrates its centenary, is to open a large showroom at its new base on the Glenfield Business Park, off Philips Road in Blackburn.

A Design and Access Statement submitted with the planning application reveals: "The surrounding area includes several proposed commercial development sites.

"The internal layout of the scheme attempts to maximise the amount of usable space for the restaurant.

"The site does not have any parking spaces. However, it is next to a multi storey car park.

"The proposal will consist of 55 dining spaces.

"The proposed development is a sustainable upgrade to the existing building and will be a valuable improvement to the area."

Plans submitted with the application reveal that there will be 33 tables for four diners in a ground floor dining area next to a bar area with seven tables for two and 15 bar stools.

There will be a mezzanine floor above the bar with another 22 tables for four diners.

Cllr Hussain said: "This will be good for Blackburn and the borough.

"It will bring something totally different to the restaurants in the town centre as well as new jobs. It will contribute to the new leisure quarter.."

Cllr Khan said: "This is good news. It is going to bring something different to the more traditional restaurants in the town."

Cllr Marrow said: "It is good that people want to invest in Blackburn town centre. I hope they make a go of it."

Phil Riley said: "The application for the former Reidy's premises is very exciting and a quality bar and restaurant fits perfectly into that area with the Reel Cinema literally across the road and as part of the wider Blakey Moor redevelopment.”