Final fitting out work has started at the new Taco Bell takeaway on Ipswich's Anglia Retail Park - two years after it was initially given the go-ahead.

It is expected to open its doors within weeks, probably before the end of the school summer holidays.

Meanwhile elsewhere on the retail park the new Lidl supermarket is rapidly taking shape - building work is on schedule and the shell is expected to be handed over on time to the company to fit out within the next few weeks.

The new Lidl store on the Anglia Retail Park should soon be ready to handover to the supermarket giant.The new Lidl store on the Anglia Retail Park should soon be ready to handover to the supermarket giant. (Image: Paul Geater)

Taco Bell was given planning permission to convert the old Carphone Warehouse unit on the park into a takeaway back in August 2022.

However, it is understood that problems with signing up a franchisee delayed the opening even though the unit itself was made ready.

But this week fitting-out started in earnest and Ipswich Borough Assets (IBA), which owns the retail park, said its opening was imminent.

Colin Kreidewolf, the chair of IBA, which is owned by Ipswich Borough Council, was delighted that the final unit on the park would soon be operating.

He said: "It has taken longer than we hoped - but we know a lot of people are looking forward to this opening and it will complete a strong offer in the park.

"I'm also really pleased about the progress on Lidl. The building is on target to be ready for us to hand over to Lidl and they should be able to get on and fit it out ready to open in the autumn, well before the Christmas season."

And Mr Kreidewolf said there was more good news for the park this week: "There had been concern about Carpetright - but it seems as if the branch here should stay open so all the units on the park should be full by the autumn.

"That is very good news for us and all the customers who use Anglia Retail Park."