Coffee shop chain Starbucks could be coming to Deal, taking over the former Shoe Zone premises.

An application for a change of use has been lodged with Dover District Council by GK Coffee Group, an already established franchisee of the chain.

Drawings submitted by the firm’s agent, show the front elevation will not change, apart from new signage.

The application says the shop will be staffed by four full time and four part time staff with proposed opening times from 6am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

"Most of the independents survived the arrival of Costa. Hopefully there is enough trade for all” - Peter Jull, Chamber of Trade

Peter Jull of Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade, said he doesn’t feel the arrival of another chain will threaten the independents.

He said: “There’s a national trend for traditional high streets to move away from shops to places offering refreshments. It’s very difficult for Deal to buck that trend. There is the fact that many would consider Deal over subscribed with coffee shops already.

It appears that Costa has a wider following than Starbucks and Starbucks will probably have less of an effect than Costa did. Most of the independents survived the arrival of Costa. Hopefully there is enough trade for all.”

On its website, GK Coffee Group says the firm has been a Starbucks franchisee since 2013, opening their first store in Hornchurch, Essex in July 2013.

The second store in Epping opened in October 2014.

Current development of new stores is being concentrated in the counties of Essex and Kent.”

The closest Sharbucks to Deal is Canterbury.

To see the application, click here.