Bosses at Boscombe’s Sovereign Centre are banking on a new kind of Burger King to revitalise trade.

NewRiver Retail say shoppers have started to abandon the centre - but that the restaurant chain could help them turn things around.

They are hoping that the new-look Burger King, called a 20/20 Garden Grill and styled like a 1970s diner, will bring people and businesses back to the centre.

The restaurant would occupy the former New Look, the Mayor's Emporium and a unit currently used by a pop-up clothes shop. There are only two other 20/20 Garden Grill Burger King's in the UK.

NewRiver are applying to Bournemouth Council for permission to change the use of units 1-3 from retail to a premises selling food and drink.

A statement made in support of the application says New Look have decided not to renew the lease on their unit "due to extremely poor trade".

Agents for NewRiver say that since the departure of TJ Hughes in 2013 there has been "a steady decrease in footfall", leading to a "very detrimental effect on the Sovereign Centre".

The application reads: "There are a number of vacant units with the leasing agents struggling to generate significant interest, if any at all in Boscombe".

As a result many leases have been offered on a substantially reduced rents, leaving the owner out of pocket.

A spokesperson for NewRiver said the firm is "working increasingly hard" to improve its shopping centres.

She said: "People are looking for their local centre to become a destination and somewhere they can go shopping but also grab lunch or dinner with a friend afterwards.

“In attracting a fantastic brand like Burger King, we are simply pushing forward with our strategic lettings, attracting more food operators to Boscombe to give the shoppers there much more choice."

The planning application also reveals that New Look are withdrawing from Boscombe altogether.

Ward councillor Jane Kelly said a recent study was done by members of the Boscombe Regeneration Scheme - which has yet to be made public - which identified a 'positive' response to retail in the area.

"We have recently commissioned a retail study of the wider area of Boscombe which we have shared within the partnership," she said. "Within that it doesn't give a rosy picture. But it doesn't also say there is poor trade. There are some empty units but what is shown particularly is that niche independents - particularly creative businesses - do well.

"We have got to market the type of shops we have with the demographic of the area.

"We all want the shops to be filled and want the best person to come forward with an offer. The planning committee will be looking at it very carefully."

Harry Seccombe, chairman of Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan, said: "One of the problems with the Sovereign Centre is there are a lot of small units. We want more outlets and I think it would be a good approach into the precinct.

"It is a sign of investment and I think it's a positive thing for Boscombe."