The Overview

Located on busy Whitegate Drive in Blackpool, this Lucky B’s Hot Chicken restaurant gave Block Architects the opportunity to transform a tired two-storey unit into a bold, high-performing quick service restaurant.

With a compact footprint, a prominent roadside position, and a fast-paced operational brief, the project demanded a carefully considered design that could support day-to-day efficiency while giving the brand a strong presence on the street.

The Brief

This Lucky B’s site occupies a high-profile position within a busy stretch of retail and food operators on Whitegate Drive in Blackpool. The existing building was in poor condition and required extensive refurbishment and upgrade works as part of the wider fit-out.

The key challenge was the building’s compact footprint across two storeys. The layout needed to work hard, balancing customer flow, back-of-house efficiency, and a clear brand experience within a limited amount of space.

Working closely with the local planning authority, we developed proposals that responded directly to feedback and guidance, ultimately securing a successful outcome.

The Approach

The ground floor was carefully organised to accommodate the primary customer-facing functions, including the service counter, an accessible WC, a compact but effective seating area, and generous queuing space to help manage peak demand. To the rear, the kitchen layout was supported by a dedicated wash-up area, creating a clear and efficient back-of-house workflow.

A new staircase was introduced to access the upper floor, where an additional seating area and customer toilet facilities were arranged to the rear. This separation of functions allowed the ground floor to remain focused on speed, visibility, and throughput, while the first floor provides a more relaxed dine-in setting.

Externally, a new aluminium shopfront spanning both ground and first floor levels gives the restaurant a strong visual presence. This approach maintains clean architectural lines while helping the brand stand out from a prominent corner position.

Design Development and Coordination

Working closely with the Lucky B’s founders, operations team, and the franchisee; we developed a design that maximised both operational efficiency and brand impact.

The constrained layout required careful planning to ensure that service areas, customer circulation, and back-of-house functions worked seamlessly across both floors without compromising speed of service.

A key part of the design process was the use of our in-house CGI visuals and detailed 3D modelling. These tools allowed the client team to fully understand the proposed layout, material choices, and customer experience before work began on site. By visualising the scheme early, we supported informed decision-making, reduced uncertainty, and refined key elements of the design ahead of construction.

Ongoing collaboration with ‘Catering Projects Ltd’ was also central to the project’s development.

By working closely together on service counter functionality and technical detailing, potential operational challenges were addressed early in the process. This helped ensure the completed space would perform efficiently under pressure while maintaining a clean and cohesive finish.

Brand and Customer Experience

The continued evolution of Lucky B’s brand identity was an important driver throughout the project.

Known for its bold, energetic personality, the brand provided a strong creative foundation for the interior design.This allowed us to shape a space that feels vibrant, engaging, and immediately recognisable.

The design is intended not only to capture attention from the busy street outside, but also to create a memorable in-store experience.

Characterful design elements are balanced with the practical demands of a fast-moving food environment, ensuring the space works as hard operationally as it does visually.

The Outcome

The finished design brings together planning, refurbishment, layout efficiency, and brand expression within a challenging two-storey footprint.

By carefully organising customer areas, service flow, and back-of-house functions, the scheme has been developed to support the realities of a busy quick service restaurant environment without losing sight of the customer experience.

For Lucky B’s, the project creates more than a new restaurant unit. It establishes a strong high-street presence in a key location, while giving the operational team a space designed to perform efficiently from day one.

For Block Architects, it is another example of how thoughtful design and close coordination can turn a constrained site into a commercially effective and visually distinctive destination.