Mystery surrounds the future of a town centre shop this week after yet another planning application was submitted by its owners.

A fresh bid was sent to council bosses on Monday to change the use of 12 Market Place from a retail unit to a restaurant, sparking unfounded rumours that coffee giant Costa was back with a third attempt to open a cafe there.

But Paul Lunn, manager of Le Sage Architects, which manages the market square spot, has quashed the gossip and set the record straight.

He said: “We can confirm that it is not Costa.

“We have submitted a planning application for change of use from retail to restaurant, but we do not currently have a tenant for the property.”

In January, the Faversham News exclusively revealed that the agents were looking for a multi-national business to take on the shop.

Today, the mystery remains as to which chain might now move into the sought-after spot.

Anti-Costa campaigners are still keen for the property to be kept for retail uses.

Tina Hagger, of Ospringe Road, alongside Gavin McGregor, has led the fight against Costa since the beginning and said this week: “A major branded outlet – which the landlord has stated is the only kind of tenant it will accept for the site – risks harming, rather than strengthening, Faversham’s economy.

“This change of use would undermine Local Plan policy to promote a strong and diverse local economy.

“This change of use would undermine Local Plan policy to promote a strong and diverse local economy."

“The market square area of Faversham and the wider town centre are already extremely well served, and perhaps over-supplied, with restaurant and cafe uses.

“So this recent application would undeniably and by definition involve a loss of retail space.”

Mr McGregor, of Plantation Road, said: “The nature of the tenants exclusively being sought by the landlord – major chains of identical food or coffee outlets with uniform, predictable branding – guarantees that the unique market square of Faversham would certainly lose its distinctiveness.

“Faversham’s special character and charm are thanks to its unique diversity of unbranded, locally owned businesses.

“The importance and position of the site in question could not be greater – it is on the market square in a listed building, facing directly onto the historic Guildhall.

“It forms part of a frontage, and is one of the first things people see as they enter the town.”