A Nepalese restaurant owner from Gloucester wants to open a second branch in a former bistro in Cheltenham.

Plans have been submitted for L'Artisan in Clarence Street which closed suddenly in June.

Mr Kashi Sharma has applied to the council for permission to renovate the venue and put up new signs.

He already runs the Nepalese Chef in London Road in Gloucester which offers traditional dishes for dine in or takeaway.

He now wants to replicate its success in Cheltenham and create four full time and 11 part time jobs.

The restaurant would also be named Nepalese Chef and be open Monday to Saturday 10am to 11.30pm and Sundays and Bank Holidays from noon to 10.30pm.

If the plans are granted the 113sqm site will be overhauled with the ground floor bar and counters replaced and a bar created on the first floor. There would also be two new air source heat pumps and an external chiller unit for the cellar.

The front facade and windows would be repainted the same cream and white.

The application said the building dates back to the 1800s and is within Cheltenham's Central Conservation Area.

Most of the original features are thought to have been lost to a fire in 1976 apart from a set of stairs and back hall.

A decorative cornice installed post 2009 will be retained with the addition of sympathetic ceiling roses.

A statement by Conault Design on behalf of Mr Sharma said: "The proposals are fairly modest with minimal impact on the historic structure."

Mr Sharma has submitted a separate application for new signage which would include human sized decals either side of the door.

Cheltenham Borough council is due to decide both applications by October 1.