Plans have been submitted to turn the former Lloyds Bank in Worcester Park into a Starbucks.

The branch in Central Road closed in November last year, with Lloyds citing a drop in customers using the site for both personal and business use.

"Branches will remain vital in meeting customers’ needs but we must continually review our network to make sure we have branches in locations where customers need and use them the most," a statement from Lloyds Bank read.

"As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close this branch due to customers using it less often. In addition, the majority of customers are also using alternative ways to bank and we have another branch close by." The nearby branch referred to is the one in 49-53 Sutton High Street.

Now Cobra Coffee - which is a licensed Starbucks UK franchise - has put in a 'change of use' planning application.

If approved, this would allow them to make alterations to the building which would tie in to changing it from a bank to a coffee shop.

Worcester Park councillor Tom Drummond had mixed thoughts about the proposal.

"In an ideal world I would of course prefer to see a small local Worcester Park business person take possession of the site," he told the Sutton Guardian.

"However I’m pragmatic, and I am of the firm belief I would prefer to see a property occupied and contributing to the high street rather than standing vacant."

Starbucks have been approached for comment asking how soon the store would open should planning permission be granted, but the global chain has yet to respond.

Cllr Drummond added: "I know there will be some who say Worcester Park doesn’t need another coffee shop, as there is already a Nero’s and a Costa Coffee, but that is not our decision to make and market forces will dictate if there are too many.

"At the end of the day, and to be perfectly clear, the last thing I would want is for the former Lloyds Bank to be another Drury and Cole, standing empty for far too long."