An overbooked restaurant that regularly has to turn customers away has launched a bid to expand into a former DIY shop.

The bosses of French bistro Birdies in Harbour Street, Whitstable, have unveiled plans to install further seating, a bar and an outdoor eating area in the vacant site next door.

Philip and Sue Colthup say the empty unit - which used to be the Harry & Co hardware store - will help the oversubscribed business match the demand for its food.

The pair - who have run the eatery for 30 years - say they have regularly been forced to tell punters they do not have enough tables to serve them.

Rhys Colthup, who helps his parents to run the business, told KentOnline: “The business is doing very well.

“The last couple of summers it’s been an absolute pain with the number of people we are turning away.

“We’ve had customers in the restaurant telling us we need a bigger place, then this came along and it was perfect because we’re turning down people each day in the summertime.”

An application to expand the eatery’s licence into the new premises has sparked fears the venue will remain open into the early hours.

However, Rhys stresses his parents have always chosen to close up before midnight despite having a licence allowing them to remain open until 2am - and that this will not change.

The owners hope to start work on the project within the next month and expect to complete it by November.

“We’ve been planning this for a while, but we’d just been waiting for the right price and the right people to do it,” Rhys added.

“It is going to be an extension of the restaurant and we’re going to have a bar the length of the building, so during the day you can sit at the bar and have something to eat or a coffee.

"The last couple of summers it’s been an absolute pain with the number of people we are turning away..."

“Then in the evening there will be seating for people who just want to come in for a drink.

“The garden area will hopefully be ready for this summer where we can serve food and drink as well.”

If the scheme is given the green light, an extension will be added to the rear of the former hardware seller to accommodate a new disabled toilet.

In documents lodged with the city council, the restaurateurs say: “It is our intention to convert the vacant building into a restaurant serving food and drink, which will be an extension of our existing premises.

“The proposals will make the property more viable as a hospitality unit and will make good use of the land available.”