The Overview

Located in Burnley, this Lucky B’s Hot Chicken restaurant presented a very different challenge to previous Lucky B sites we have worked on.

Rather than adapting an existing customer-facing unit, Block Architects were working with a vacant industrial shed – a completely empty shell with no established character, layout, or architectural features to build from.

That created both opportunity and responsibility. The space offered flexibility, but every part of the customer and operational experience had to be carefully considered from the outset.

The result is a bold, efficient quick service restaurant that transforms a raw industrial unit into a vibrant restaurant environment aligned with the growing Lucky B’s brand.

The Brief

The challenge was to turn a vacant industrial unit into a fully operational quick service restaurant that could support the practical demands of a busy food environment while delivering a strong and recognisable customer experience.

Unlike a traditional refurbishment project, there was no existing layout to refine or repurpose. The design had to establish structure, identity, and flow from the ground up; while making best use of the unit’s scale and open internal volume.

Working closely with the Lucky B’s team and the franchisee, we developed a comprehensive design that responded to the brand’s operational needs as well as its evolving visual Lucky B’s identity.

The Approach

A key part of the design strategy was the introduction of a new mezzanine level. This allowed us to make full use of the height and volume of the unit, increasing capacity while creating a clear separation between customer seating and the primary operational areas below.

This introduction helped turn what was initially a raw industrial shell into a more defined and engaging restaurant environment.
Rather than treating the open space as a limitation, the Block interior design team used it as an opportunity to create a layout with greater presence, clarity, and flexibility.

Using Lucky B’s established materials palette and graphics, we brought the brand into the space in a way that feels bold and distinctive, while still warm and welcoming for customers.

The final design balances energetic visual character with the practical considerations needed for a fast-moving hospitality setting.

Design Development and Coordination

As with all our Lucky B’s projects, close collaboration was central to the outcome.

Working alongside the Lucky B’s operations team, the franchisee, and Catering Projects Ltd, we developed a kitchen and service counter arrangement that prioritised efficiency, durability, and ease of use.

A particularly important part of the coordination process was the sharing of Catering Projects’ 3D model alongside our own in-house CGI models. This allowed both teams to align early on technical detailing, service functionality, and spatial relationships across the scheme.

By resolving potential clashes and operational issues at design stage, we were able to support a smoother process on site and a more considered final layout.

Our in-house CGI visuals and detailed 3D modelling also played an important role throughout the design development process. These tools helped the client team fully understand how the mezzanine, seating areas, and operational zones would work together within the large open volume.

By visualising the scheme before construction began, key decisions could be made with greater confidence and clarity.

Planning and Delivery

Alongside the design work, we liaised successfully with both the landlord and the local planning authority to ensure the proposals aligned with the relevant requirements while still achieving the wider design ambition for the site.

That process relied on clear communication and careful coordination throughout. Converting an industrial unit into a compliant, high-performing hospitality space required more than a strong visual concept – it demanded a practical understanding of delivery, regulation, and how the restaurant would need to operate day to day.

The Outcome

This project demonstrates how an entirely vacant shell can be transformed into a dynamic and commercially effective restaurant environment.

Through careful spatial planning, strong technical coordination, and a clear understanding of the Lucky B’s brand; the Burnley site has been developed as a space that works operationally, feels coherent architecturally, and delivers a memorable customer experience.

For Lucky B’s, the project adds another distinctive location to its growing portfolio.

For Block Architects, it is a strong example of how a blank canvas can be turned into a purposeful, high-performing hospitality space through clear thinking, close collaboration, and careful attention to how the space will be used in practice.