With Taco Bell looking to open in Canterbury – and a new clothes store on the way too – here’s 11 big changes coming to the city centre...

1. The Riverside

Some believe this huge development could change the very nature of the city centre.

The ambitious scheme, known as The Riverside, includes a five-screen Curzon cinema, restaurants, shops, student homes and a new public square in Canterbury.

It was revealed last month that it will also include almost 200 affordable homes.

Construction work on the project at the former coach park and Serco depot in Kingsmead is set to begin in the summer.

Once complete, it is hoped visitors will be drawn from the traditional high street towards the new development, helping regenerate the surrounding area.

2. Slatters Hotel

Construction work for the new hotel in St Margaret’s Street is set to begin within the next four weeks as developers aim to open next summer.

Back in December, KentOnline revealed global hotel chain Hampton by Hilton is set to take on the site.

Designed by architect Guy Holloway, the hotel – rising to six storeys at its tallest – will boast a rooftop restaurant offering views across to the Cathedral.

The old hotel was demolished two years ago and archaeological dig followed in 2018.

The striking new Slatters Hotel will boast 130 beds.

3. Bounce Vintage clothing store

KentOnline revealed earlier this week that a new "affordable" vintage clothing store is set to open in St Peter’s Street.

Bounce Vintage - run by husband-and-wife team Rachel and Saul Kitchen - will open its doors on Saturday, May 25.

The couple established their clothing store in 2012, initially trading online before opening a stall at the Courtyard Bazaar vintage market in the city.

In 2016, they opened their first shop in The Old High Street, Folkestone, before moving to a larger premises in Tontine Street last year - where they aim to offer quality vintage clothing in an "uncluttered" setting.

Now the couple has announced they are opening a second store in Canterbury - where they first met and got married in the 90s, and where their love of vintage began.

4. Ice rink

Also revealed this week was a bid to bring an ice rink to Dane John Gardens in time for winter.

Poor planning put the skids under the last effort to bring the festive attraction to the city in 2017.

But Canterbury City Council says it is now taking on the project itself.

Bosses have started the process of finding a specialist company to fit and supply the feature.

The aim is to have it all up and running smoothly for five weeks over Christmas and the New Year.

5. Taco Bell

Kent's first ever Taco Bell officially opened in Chatham on Wednesday – and bosses suggest they are looking to bring their beefy burritos and quesadillas to Canterbury too.

Hundreds queued outside the new Mexican restaurant in Chatham Dockside.

And Canterbury residents are likely to be just as excited to see it arrive.

Speaking to KentOnline in Chatham, Taco Bell bosses said they are “looking into Canterbury – and a couple more locations.”

6. Turtle Bay

Another eatery on its way to Canterbury is the Caribbean restaurant chain Turtle Bay.

It won a bid to open a branch in historic Butchery Lane despite objections from city heritage watchdogs.

Turtle Bay was given permission to convert three neighbouring shop units into one three-storey restaurant.

The branch will be the firm’s 38th - but its first in Kent - opening on the site of Optical Express and the vacant units formerly occupied by the Oasis bar and Toni and Guy salon.

Diners are still awaiting a firm date for when they can get their hands on the ‘Just Jerk Platter’ and other tasty dishes.

7. A fourth Sainsbury’s store

Sainsbury's confirmed earlier this month it will be opening a new store in the high street later this year.

It will be the fourth Sainsbury's in the city - with a similar 'Local' branch in St Dunstan's being less than 500 metres away.

Bosses want the new store to be open all day and every day, but the proposed 24-hour operating hours are yet to be decided on by the council.

On the junction of the high street and Stour Street, the soon-to-be Sainsbury's building was a Post Office until 2007.

Mexican chain Chimichanga moved in four years later before bowing out earlier this year.

8. Swapping FCUK for a new restaurant?

The long-established major clothing chain confirmed in April it was shutting up its high street shop, blaming tough economic conditions.

French Connection had been trading in Canterbury High Street for almost two decades but the fashion brand has been struggling in recent years and announced it would be closing at least 10 sites.

But KentOnline understands that the unit is to become a new restaurant in the near future.

9. Will Debenhams site turn residential?

The confirmation last month that the huge department store would be closing its doors was a huge blow for the high street.

But such is the attraction of Canterbury’s city centre, that plans are already afoot to make use of the site.

Sources told KentOnline work on proposals for Debenhams started long before its fate was confirmed.

It is understood to involve a conversion of the vast building into a predominantly residential development, while its smaller store fronting Guildhall Street would retain shops on the ground floor.

10. ‘Brighton Lanes’ in Canterbury?

Plans for the boarded-up Nasons department store opposite are said to be far more ambitious, with one under consideration a Brighton Lanes-style shopping thoroughfare.

It would lead from the High Street through to the former cafe entrance in St Margaret's Street, with retail units on the ground floor and flats above.

Another idea on the table is understood to be a boutique hotel fronting the High Street, although any scheme would have to take into account planning limitations.

The old building entrance in the High Street is listed and cannot be significantly changed, while the adjacent Yeomanry Memorial Garden also limits design options.

Official applications to redevelop both Nasons and Debenhams could even be submitted to council planners within the next three months.

11. Multi-storey car park

And finally, you cannot talk about big changes to the city centre without mentioning the multi-storey car park at Canterbury West station.

Work began on the £9 million project in March. Many cite the controversy surrounding the scheme as a key reason for council leader Simon Cook losing his seat in the local election earlier this month.

But he told KentOnline’s sister paper the Kentish Gazette this week that he has no regrets.

Mr Cook said: “I’m glad the multi-storey car park is still going to happen. It could create pollution and congestion but you can change that with pricing by making it cheaper for earlier arrivals or those with electric cars.”

Yet with a protest planned by climate change activists Extinction Rebellion in Station Road West on Monday, the controversy surrounding this massive project is not going away any time soon...

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