WORCESTER could be among several county locations to get a new KFC branch.

The city has been earmarked alongside Malvern and Droitwich as possible locations for new restaurants, as KFC announced more than 500 target locations for new branches.

There are currently two KFC stores in Worcester, one at the Elgar Retail Park in Blackpole Road and the other in Horn Hill Road.

No detail was given as to where the new branch might be, only that it would be in the south of Worcester and would be a drive-thru restaurant.

There is no KFC in Malvern currently, so if the firm did bring the restaurant to the town, it would be the first there.

There is no information yet surrounding where in Malvern the store could be or what form it would take.

Droitwich has also been put on the list of target locations. Currently, people from Droitwich must travel to either Worcester or Bromsgrove to eat at KFC as there is not a branch in the town.

Evesham is also earmarked as one of the chain’s target locations, and a new restaurant would be the second branch in the town alongside the one in Evesham Road.

A KFC spokesman said: “We have bold ambitions to have over 1,000 restaurants in the UK and Ireland by 2020.

“We have a number of different formats and designs that are suitable for all locations. We strive to work with local communities and business’ to bring some finger lickin’ chicken to towns and cities across the country.”

In October 2018, Worcester City Council rejected an application for a new KFC but accepted one for a bar and restaurant in the same area of the city centre.

The decision was branded as snobbery by Councillor Chris Mitchell, then chairman of the city council’s planning committee.

Cllr Mitchell said the decision to reject the popular fast food restaurant from taking over a building in The Cross but to allow a new bar and restaurant in Foregate “smacked of classism.”

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