Burger chain to open first restaurant in Poole by Tower Park

An application has been launched to transform the vacant restaurant site in Yarrow Road, just outside the main entertainment complex, into a Five Guys burger restaurant.

The Poole Frankie & Benny’s restaurant closed in 2020 as part of a national cull of around 90 sites across the UK. It was soon followed in closure by the site at the BH2 complex in Bournemouth last year. Another site in Castlepoint’s East Village previously closed in 2018.

Interestingly, the Frankie & Benny’s site at Castlepoint was too replaced by a Five Guys restaurant in November last year. Another former Frankie & Benny’s in Telford, Shropshire, is also set to be replaced by a Five Guys later this year.

The Frankie & Benny's restaurant at Tower Park as seen in 2006

The American fast-food chain acknowledged the eventual opening of the Tower Park site on its website, stating that “Five Guys is opening in Poole very soon”.

It also said: “Keep your eyes peeled for the official opening date, we look forward to welcoming you soon.”

In its recent application to operate in Poole, which is focused solely on the erection of signage, a planner writing on behalf of Five Guys said: “Overall, the alterations and advertisement proposed is deemed to be of a design and style that is appropriate to the context of the development within an existing retail park.

“The proposals will ensure that the unit is brought back into economic and employment generating use by a reputable, popular operator.”

Five Guys

At present, the proposed Poole site would be one of the largest in the area and provide seating for 106 diners – including an external seating area.

If fully approved, it will be the third Five Guys restaurant to open in the BCP region and the first in Poole.

Five Guys was established in 1986 by the Murrell family in Virginia and launched in the UK in 2013, opening in Covent Garden on July 4 of that year.

The restaurant chain has been approached for more information.