National coffee chain Costa has held talks about opening a shop on Herne Bay seafront, it has been revealed.

Representatives from the company have twice met with Dean Tevfik, who owns the Bun Penny flats development in Central Parade, where there is a vacant retail premises.

Mr Tevfik told the Gazette this week discussions have been held with Costa about taking on the shop, but added he is open to an offer from rival chain Starbucks.

“Costa said it was happy to take my premises on, but nothing’s signed on the dotted line and nothing’s set in stone,” he said.

“I haven’t had a meeting with anyone from Starbucks yet, but I want to arrange one as soon as I get the flats signed off."

When planning permission for the the 14 apartments was secured in 2016, there was talk of a food chain like Zizzi, Ask or Subway taking on the retail spot.

Mr Tevfik says a coffee shop will be better for residents of the new flats, which are on the market for between £325,000 and £575,000.

“We’ll have someone coming over from the council this week and hopefully the building will be signed off over the next seven or so days,” Mr Tevfik explained.

“We didn’t realise that we needed to fireproof all the shop because we were just concentrating on the flats; so we’ve just been doing that and it’s taken a bit of time.

“The building’s as good as finished; we’ve got two people ready to move in now so as soon as the council signs it off we’ll have them in there.

“I am going down the road with Costa and Starbucks because I don’t want any smells of hot cooking in the flats. There would also be a fair amount of noise till quite late with a restaurant.”

News of a national chain being lined up for the shop last year sparked a petition signed by 380 people who feared it would detrimentally affect local traders.

However, Hassan Hassan, the owner of the Makcari’s cafe opposite, believes his business will not be “threatened” by the arrival of a big name.

“We’ve been hearing this from the Tevfiks for the last three years now, not just Costa or Starbucks, but they’ve been throwing so many names into the mix,” he said.

“It will be good to actually see something come in there because this is a site that should’ve been completed two or three years ago and yet they still seem to be going.

“Makcari’s is the second oldest established business in Herne Bay dating back to 1931. We’re not just any old coffee shop; we’re an institution.”

Mr Hassan added that the prices at his cafes are more competitive than those in Starbucks and Costa.