Plans go in for Bideford’s first-ever KFC restaurant and drive-thru

Plans have been lodged for a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and drive-thru at the Affinity Devon shopping outlet in Bideford.

It is proposed to build the new restaurant and the first-ever KFC in Bideford on the former Atlantis Adventure Park beside the shopping centre complex in Clovelly Road on the outskirts of town.

A planning application submitted to Torridge District Council on behalf of applicant Clokken Ltd says the new restaurant would create between 30 and 50 jobs and aligns with KFC’s plan to open more than 500 new outlets over the next decade.

Atlantis Adventure Park, which included soft play, a pirate-themed play area and crazy golf, closed down in October 2018 and the site is currently in ‘a state of disrepair’ with derelict play equipment, according to the planning application documents.

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The applicants say the new KFC, which includes car parking and landscaping, would complement Affinity Devon and serve its customers as well as passing local trade.

The next and only other KFC in the entire North Devon and Torridge area is at Roundswell in Barnstaple.

Above: The new KFC restaurant and drive-thru would be on the former Atlantis Adventure Park site. For illustration only and not necessarily how the new building will look. Credit: KFC

A statement with the planning application said: “The development will feature KFC’s latest modern design, integrating enhanced digital capabilities and sustainability-focused improvements to ensure a high-quality, efficient service.

“The site will cater to both on-site dining and off-site consumption, providing a flexible and convenient food offer for the local community.”

It added that the new restaurant and drive-thru would have no impact on the existing highway network.

It said the design would complement the existing Affinity Devon facility, but added that the current buildings were of a functional nature and: “Instead, the proposed KFC building introduces a distinctive, 'next-generation' aesthetic that utilises a premium material palette.

“This approach ensures that the new unit serves as a high-quality visual anchor within the car park, providing the 'active frontage' and positive identity without resorting to a pastiche of its neighbours.”

The application is currently in the consultation stage and will be decided by Torridge District Council at a future date.

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