A JERK chicken restaurant could replace a Greek eaterie which has closed in Worcester city centre.

Yamas, which had been at the unit in Broad Street for a few years, has closed down, with signs put up to inform customers and the windows blocked out.

There are also signs to say that the unit is to let, encouraging inquiries for the shop and the “self-contained wine and gin bar”.

Ian Perks, the owner of the site, told the Worcester News that the team behind Yamas had decided to close the restaurant for financial reasons, but that he was confident a new business will be there soon.

Mr Perks said: “The situation with business rates is extortionate and they just can’t cope with it.

“They didn’t have the funds to pay the rates and staff.”

Mr Perks says he has been in the vacant unit in the past few days to divide the layout into separate spaces, the way it was before it became a large restaurant.

“When it became one big restaurant, the business rates killed it completely,” Mr Perks said.

“By the end of next week, one of the units will be filled.

“There are three different things (for one of the units) people have spoken to me about.

“They are looking at opening a jerk chicken restaurant.

“I can’t say what the other two are looking to do at the moment.”

The unit is currently been cleared of the former restaurant items inside, including tables and crockery, which Mr Perks said he was hoping to sell.

Mr Perks added that he had owned one side for 29 years and the other unit, which dates back to 1808 when it was a pawnbroker, for more than 40 years.