BURGER King looks set to keep its Darlington site permanently shut after the restaurant was stripped of its fixtures and fittings.

The restaurant, which is in the Cornmill Shopping Centre, has been pictured with its branding removed and its interior completely gutted.

The restaurant had remained closed for dine-in and takeaway following the introduction of further lockdown restrictions towards the end of last year.

Meanwhile, other Burger King venues across the region including in Stockton and Scotch Corner remained open for collection and takeaway meals.

This week, the restaurant appeared vacated as the address and contact information was removed from the company's website and its Facebook page updated to say "permanently closed."

The Northern Echo: Burger King in the Cornmill Centre, Darlington Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTBurger King in the Cornmill Centre, Darlington Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

One of the longest fast-food chains to trade in the town centre, the restaurant gained notoriety after food safety inspectors slapped it with a two-star hygiene rating in 2019.

SEE MORE: Burger King in Darlington taking poor hygiene rating 'seriously'

At the time the restaurant, which was ordered to make improvements, said it had taken "immediate steps" to enforce its cleanliness and hygiene standards.

The closure of Burger King Darlington comes as bosses had previously warned up to ten percent of its restaurants could not reopen following the pandemic, resulting in around 1,600 job losses.

SEE MORE: Burger King boss warns of store closures and potential job losses 

At the time Alasdair Murdoch, Chief Executive of Burger King UK, warned those restaurants "might not survive" following months of reduced operation, or closure.

  • The Northern Echo contacted Burger King and the Cornmill Centre for comment but did not receive a response at time of publication.