A street food spot has joined rivals’ calls to boost Canterbury’s night-time economy with hopes to offer sit-down dining until 3am.

Plan Burrito is set to build on its recent success and launch a second Kent restaurant in St Margaret’s Street next month.

Established in Loughborough in 2015, the award-winning chain opened sites in Scotland, London, Surrey, Ramsgate, and now soon Canterbury.

Nitin Atulkar will manage the new branch at a site most recently occupied by Jack Kilpatrick hair spa.

He wants to capitalise on other chains opening late nearby and has launched a bid to the city council for a late-night licence.

Greggs recently applied to operate the county’s first all-night bakery at the top of St George’s Street, complete with security, with a decision due in November.

And while some fear the move could exacerbate drunken anti-social behaviour, others have urged council chiefs to further open up Canterbury’s nighttime economy to help boost trade.

Mr Atulkar, who lives in Sittingbourne, applied to open from 10.30am until 2am between Monday and Thursday, 3am on Friday and Saturday, and 10pm on Sunday.

But he admits some residents have already responded negatively to the application.

“The reason is to offer late-night quality food but there have been some objections,” the 35-year-old said.

“Greggs is late-night and McDonald’s is 24-hours. At the moment it will be open until 11pm until the licence is approved.

“There are food places already open until 2am so we know where we stand.

“Other Mexican places close early at 10pm or 11pm so we want to stay open late so there is a choice for people late at night.”

The reasons for the objections from residents have not yet been revealed – concerns have previously been expressed over anti-social behaviour linked to other eateries opening into the early hours.

Mr Atulkar works as a pharmacy dispenser in Gillingham, so his next venture will be a big career change.

But he will be working alongside his wife, who is an assistant manager at Greggs and Subway, which he says is “quite handy”.

Once they get up and running, they hope to hire two full-time workers.

The restaurant has 12 seats inside and, if the licence is approved, they will have about six covers outside.

“We are still in the building stages and it will take two weeks to finish off so we are looking at a November opening in the first or second week,” he added.

“It is Mexican street food so we offer burritos, nachos, churros, tacos and Mexican cola, which is sugarcane-based whereas normal cola is made with sugar and sweeteners.”

There will be no alcohol served in the restaurant, which has a dine-in and takeaway option.

Plan Burrito opened its first branch in Kent earlier this year.

It launched in Ramsgate in the summer and is run by Shereen Sobia and her mum Jennifer, a venture which is a “dream come true” for the entrepreneur.

Earlier this year, an application by Greggs for the county’s first all-night bakery drew a mixed reaction.

Police have no objection to Greggs’ bid as long as the firm operates as a takeaway, and employs two security guards between 11pm and 5am.

The force has also stated the firm must install external CCTV and ensure outside tables and chairs are put away overnight.

A decision is yet to be made on the application.

One city councillor told KentOnline earlier this year that despite her reservations regarding potential antisocial behaviour and litter, she believes growth in Canterbury’s nightlife could benefit the city.

Labour’s Mel Dawkins said: “I’m certainly happy to have more nightlife economy and, of course, McDonald’s is already 24-hour.

“I do have concerns about enforcement and people’s safety at that time as there are issues with antisocial behaviour in the area, so if it’s going to happen we’ve got to have a balance and make sure that police are about.

“If we had more of a late-night city it would balance itself out but if you’ve got just one place, like we do at the moment, it’s just going to create crowds.

“With McDonald’s already open 24 hours the change is already happening, but I understand it is going to concern some people that there will be crowds congregating in that area once all the pubs are shut.”