Plans have been approved to reopen a former betting shop as a Taco Bell after years of delays.
The change of use has been approved for the site at 7 Grand Parade, High Street, Crawley, which used to be a William Hill betting office but has been vacant for several years.
Work to convert the betting shop, which closed in 2020, into a Taco Bell restaurant, originally began in 2021.
However, the restaurant had failed to gain proper planning permission, and was forced to close in December 2022 after opening for only a few days.
Read more
- Shop receives ban after illegal items including 'crack pipes' found
- Sussex bus operators to increase Christmas Day services amid rising demand
- Sussex nurse and son win huge jackpot for sending a Christmas card
A dispute with the council over water neutrality meant that the restaurant has been vacant ever since, despite outside signage continuing to advertise it as a Taco Bell.
The requirements surrounding water neutrality that prevented the restaurant from opening fell away in November 2025, meaning that the change of use could now be approved.
The approved application sought retrospective permission for the new shopfront and ventilation/extraction system that had already been installed.
The restaurant will be the first Taco Bell to open in Crawley.
A Facebook group titled "Justice for Taco Bell Crawley" previously gained more than 300 members after being set up to advocate for the branch's opening.
Share