TAXI driver Shakeel Javaid is excited to be bringing a new culinary concept to Northwich.

The 34-year-old is just weeks away from realising his dream of having his own business when he opens a new smashed patty burger and dessert takeaway.

Hoping to open mid-July, Burg n Ice in Witton Street will offer freshly made smashed patties, including chicken steak burgers, as well as more than 50 sweet treats.

Shakeel is in the process of refurbishing the takeaway, which will replace the Lean Body Kitchen cafe.

He said: "We are bringing in a brand new kind of thing to Northwich.

"It is freshly made smashed patties and about 50 or 60 kinds of desserts.

"We're in the process of refurbishing the whole shop from the inside and everything has been ripped out. It will be completely brand new.

"I'm a foodie person. I go to different places trying different things and I noticed for the past two or three years, the smashed patties concept is becoming a big thing.

Northwich Guardian: Work underway to refurbish the takeawayWork underway to refurbish the takeaway

"No-one in the town is doing it so I thought I'd give people a taste of that."

Unfortunatelty for Shakeel, it hasn't been plain sailing since taking over the premises last September.

Twice he has had to replace the shop's glass frontage - at a total cost of £3,000 - after it was smashed.

Shakeel has since put in an electric shutter to protect his premises and submitted an application seeking retrospective approval from the council for its installation.

He added: "We took over the shop in September last year and the first incident was just two months down the line in November.

"The bottom of the shop front was completely smashed. We changed the glass at a cost of £1,500.

"Then the second time the glass was broken again in March. That's when I decided to put the application in.

"All this was while we weren't open or operating. It was an unnecessary cost on top of what we are spending on it.

Northwich Guardian: The new Burg n Ice takeaway will replace the former Lean Body KitchenThe new Burg n Ice takeaway will replace the former Lean Body Kitchen

"At the end of the day we're hoping to bring something good to the town. It's going to be a very nice looking shop - a completely different experience for the customers - but when this kind of thing happens, it's heart-breaking."

You can view the application (22/01268/FUL) on the council's online planning portal.