Proposals for a national restaurant chain to open in Sunderland city centre have taken a step forward, after council development chiefs approved plans for signage.
Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved an advertising consent application for a building on the corner of Fawcett Street and High Street West.
The site sits in the shadow of the iconic Mackie’s Corner and was previously occupied by gaming lounge and arcade Harry’s Game Shack, however back in summer 2024, the business announced its decision to close.
Signage linked to the business has since been removed and the building’s ground floor appears unused, however a planning application for signage submitted earlier this year confirmed a new occupier is being lined up.
Planning documents submitted to council officials named restaurant chain Pepe’s Piri Piri as the potential future occupier, a company specialising in freshly cooked chicken and also known for its brightly coloured shopfronts and branding.
The original signage planned for the Sunderland building covered the High Street West and Fawcett Street elevations and the planning description listed the development as “4x internally illuminated fascia signs and 2x internally illuminated projecting signs.”
The signs at High Street West were set to include panels with the company’s tagline ‘the home of fresh flame grilled chicken’, the company’s logo which would be “internally illuminated”, and a panel advertising website and contact details.
Image: LDRS
The fourth panel on the building’s Fawcett Street elevation aimed to replicate the company’s logo with an internally illuminated sign, along with internally illuminated projecting signs on both of the building’s elevations.
During the planning application process, it was noted that the signage plans had been “revised and updated twice following comments received from [Sunderland City Council’s] principal conservation officer”.
This included concerns about the building’s “sensitive location sitting directly opposite the highly impressive landmark listed buildings of Mackie’s Corner and Elephant Tea Rooms”.
It was noted that plans should ensure “any new shopfronts and signage for 1 Fawcett Street are of a high quality and appropriate design to ensure the settings of these listed buildings is respected and the new shopfronts make a positive contribution to the distinctive character of this part of the Sunniside Conservation Area”.
However, council heritage experts said the original plans for the proposed shopfront and signage was “wholly inappropriate for this sensitive historic location and unacceptable”, and that signs were “completely at odds” with guidance for the area, with specific reference made to “bright garish colours” having an “especially obtrusive appearance in the historic street scene.”
The most recent revised plans included proposed “5 no. non-illuminated white acrylic letters with surrounding timber frames with the addition of 3 no. hanging signs […] positioned inside the shopfront of 1 Fawcett Street”.
The council’s conservation officer said “the revised signage to the shopfront fascia’s comprising individual cut out white letters” was in line with guidelines and was acceptable.
It was noted that the “3 no. signs hanging internally do not require advertisement consent but have been included as part of the proposals.”
After considering the revised planning application, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on 24 September 2025.
Council planners, in a decision report, said: “The principal conservation officer has reviewed and requested a number of amendments to the original plans.
“Following on from the second set of updated plans received on 19 September 2025, they have confirmed that these revised proposals would have no adverse impact on the character or appearance of the conservation area and are considered acceptable.”
Sunderland City Council’s planning department also approved a separate retrospective planning application for the same address in September 2025, linked to the “installation of extraction canopy to rear and new shopfront”.
Council planners, in a decision report, deemed the scheme acceptable and the council’s conservation officer said the shopfront would have a “marginally positive impact on the character and appearance of Sunniside Conservation Area and the settings of surrounding listed buildings”.
A planning condition was also added to limit the new extract/ventilation equipment at the site to the hours of 11am-11pm to “protect residential amenity relating to noise and odour pollution.”
According to its website, Pepe’s Piri Piri has more than 200 stores in the UK, open for delivery, takeaway and eat in.
The restaurant chain has sites in Newcastle and Whitley Bay, and its website lists Sunderland’s Fawcett Street location as a site that is “coming soon”.
No signage has yet been erected at the Sunderland site.
