A popular bakery is eyeing up an empty car garage to add to its existing fleet of stores.

Greggs has submitted plans to transform a vacant car garage into one of its stores.

If approved, it will be one of 13 Greggs in the Southampton area.

The national chain is keen to transform the empty site at 39A The Avenue.

Developers said: “The front area is to be used for retail sales to the general public with the remainder of the building used for ancillary uses.

“The appearance will be improved by our development.

“It will include new signage, shopfront, roller shutters, extract grilles, air conditioning condenser units, and new side security door.

“We will also close off the existing entrance and replace it with window, install a timber framed bin store, and change of use from sui generis to retail, and use of the forecourt for fixed outside seating.”

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The proposals come after Greggs said it plans to open dozens of new stores in the UK this year after reporting a jump in profits.

As reported by Sky, the chain said it achieved underlying pre-tax profits of £74.1m in the first six months of 2024, a 16 per cent rise on the same time last year.

Greggs opened a store in Hedge End in March of this year, replacing the former Pizza Hut site.

The store, on the site at Hedge End Trade Park, created 15 jobs.

A date for a decision on the application for The Avenue site is yet to be set.