A major restaurant development is getting under way outside Huddersfield’s Kingsgate shopping centre.

The company behind the complex is investing £250,000 in converting two existing units on Cross Church Street to create a double-fronted bar-restaurant providing over 6,000sq ft of space and laying claim to be the biggest in the town centre.

Kingsgate centre manager Jonathan Hardy announced the plans as he responded to a report by PwC and the Local Data Company which placed Huddersfield town centre fifth among towns and cities in Yorkshire and Humberside for net store closures.

Mr Hardy said the new restaurant would occupy the former Herbert’s Bar and the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice charity shop.

He said he was unable to give details of the operator, but said it was hoped the venue will open this summer.

Huddersfield Town Centre: Herbert's Bar, Cross Church Street.

An artist’s impression giving a general impression of how the bar may look has also been released.

Mr Hardy said the existing doors on the two units would be replaced by glazing and a new entrance formed in place of the alleyway which currently divides the two units.

The new bar-restaurant will provide 2,800sq ft on the ground floor, 2,700sq ft on the first floor and a covered rear terrace providing a further 1,000sq ft.

Mr Hardy said: “It will probably be the largest bar-restaurant in the town.”

The new development follows the news reported in the Examiner that the former Papa John’s outlet in King Street – also part of the Kingsgate scheme – is being converted to create Mandalay, a restaurant specialising in contemporary Burmese cuisine.

The PwC report said Huddersfield town centre saw nine stores open in 2017 with 21 closures, giving a net reduction of 21.

Responding, Mr Hardy said Kingsgate had seen the arrival last year of children’s toy shop The Entertainer and the replacement of the defunct Northern Taps by Jax Bar & Tapas.

Cross Church Street, Huddersfield.

Among other tenants, mobiles shop 02 had moved into a bigger unit while JD Sports had switched from a standard unit to occupy a larger flagship unit at the front of the mall.

Mr Hardy said retailing was “hard work” in the current climate, but that Kingsgate was faring “probably better than most towns.”

He said: “We are very confident that things are going to turnaround.”

He said the Kingsgate Leisure scheme – a multi-million pound extension to the shopping centre which will include a cinema and a number of restaurants – was on track to open in late 2020 – with the prospect of a street food offer.

“We have already got two or three people who are very interested in taking space in there,” he said.

Mr Hardy said the Kingsgate team were now talking to retailers who once would never have contemplated locating in Huddersfield.

“We know there are difficulties on the high street,” said Mr Hardy. “We are doing better than the high street and we are committed to making this town commercially popular and more of a regional destination.

“We want to encourage people who presently go to Leeds, Manchester or the White Rose Centre to take another look at Huddersfield.

“We want to be an attractive place for people to shop and for retailers who have never previously looked at Huddersfield.”