Café bosses believe "game-changing" plans to flatten their business and replace it with a coffee house, restaurant and rooftop bar will "bring London to Kent".

Brothers Nejmi and Hassan Hassan have revealed they are drawing up proposals to level their flagship branch of Makcari’s on the corner of Central Parade and William Street in Herne Bay.

In its place, the pair want to erect a three-storey building housing their popular café, along with an upmarket eatery on the level above and a bar overlooking the sea.

The businessmen believe their multi-million-pound scheme will be the “largest project the seafront has ever seen”.

“There have been lots of other investors and developments in Herne Bay and they’ve done well, but there’s nothing with a real ‘wow factor’, there’s nothing to shout about yet,” Nejmi told KentOnline.

“I believe this building will be a game-changer and will truly attract people from outside Herne Bay.

“It will be the largest project the seafront has ever seen.

“There are lots of what look like derelict buildings along the seafront.

"We want to assure the public they have not been left to rot and that there is work going on behind the scenes.”

The Hassans want to knock down the Makcari’s and the old Talk of the Town sites – the latter is home to Captain Jack’s and Vibe.

They plan to reinstate their fish, chips and ice cream-selling café on the ground-floor level.

While which cuisine the restaurant above will serve has not yet been decided, Nejmi says it will be a high-quality establishment and that each floor will accommodate more than 100 people.

The brothers – who also own the Makcari’s in the bandstand – hope the rooftop bar gives the establishment more of a London feel.

“A lot of the London bars and clubs have rooftops, but that’s something Herne Bay doesn’t have,” Nejmi continued.

“We’re trying to bring the capital to Kent and it’s only a matter of time until we reach the levels that London has reached.”

Nejmi also insists the work to demolish the business - which has stood there since 1931 - will "retain the site's historical significance while bringing it into the 21st century".

The project does pose a risk to the Hassans, as they will have to close down their most profitable branch of Makcari’s while the work takes place.

But the businessmen hope construction – once planning permission has been approved – will be completed in nine months.

This comes after Canterbury City Council revealed it has received almost £555,000 in government cash to push ahead with tearing down the old Tivoli arcade and the derelict buildings to its rear in Beach Street car park.

Planning permission has already been given to proposals to build 33 homes and three shops on the plot, which includes the authority-run car park behind.

But as potential construction costs spiralled, the entire site was put on the market, attracting a number of bids from potential development partners and buyers.

A decision on its future has not yet been made, but council officials insist the government funding makes “a future scheme more viable and allows us to keep our future options open”.

The authority plans to begin the work next spring, once it has secured the services of a contractor.

Meanwhile, town restaurateur Mehmet Dari, who owns the A La Turka chain, has also revealed striking images showing how his new venture next to the town's pier is set to look.

The magnate says his new upmarket seaside restaurant serving steak, fish and lobster to as many as 200 punters at a time could be open within the next four months.