Burger King, John Lewis, HMV: The shops and restaurants Worcester people are desperate for in the city

Requests spanned from record shops and shoe stores to new local eateries and even a fishmonger.

And do we even have to mention a certain well-known burger franchise?

We've sifted through your requests to find the shops and restaurants that have come out as the city's most wanted, and we've listed them below.

John Lewis

A new department store topped a lot of your lists, with plenty of people naming John Lewis as the one that they'd like to see come to Worcester.

In fact, residents have even eyed up a potential location for the retailer, with the old Debenhams building cited as a possible spot for a new John Lewis store.

Emma Allen said: "A decent department store offering various good quality women’s and men’s clothing. House of Fraser has gone to the dogs. A John Lewis would be amazing!"

HMV 

Amidst all of buzz around streaming platforms, it seems that there is still a market for people wanting to go crate diving and dig through music the old-fashioned way.

HMV was a surprisingly popular callout, considering it only closed its doors in Worcester in 2020, albeit with the new owners of the century old chain deeming the Worcester store "no longer viable for business".

However, there still seems to be a demand, and plenty of shoppers called for its return on our Facebook post.

Zara

Clothes shops were in high demand in the comments section, with many people bemoaning the retail experience in the city centre, and Zara seemed to be the most popular choice. 

At present, Solihull is the closest Zara store, and with ordering clothes online often a gamble with sizing and fit, it's more than understandable why Worcester residents would like to see one open in the city.

Ikea

Ikea has almost built itself a cult following in the UK, with many of us treating a trip to the Scandanavian outlet like a day out, rather than a begrudged trip to the shops. 

And whether it is the affordable units and furniture, the nifty trinkets, or even the food, Ikea ranked highly on the list of stores that people wanted to see come to a WR postcode.

Wagamama

Plenty of you wanted to see 'something different' when it came to the food selection in Worcester, and Wagamama was another popular callout. 

Currently, people wanting to sample the chain's Japanese inspired cuisine would have to travel to either Hereford or Birmingham, which is quite some journey for a meal out.

The White Company

With John Lewis also on the list, it is clear that people want a store where they can buy high-quality homeware, clothing, and beauty products all in one place, and The White Company proved another popular choice. 

Again, the nearest stores are a short journey away, with Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Birmingham the closest options.

Turtle Bay

Some tasty Caribbean food and exotic cocktails never go amiss, yet as it currently stands, the people of Worcester must travel as far as Cheltenham or Birmingham to satisfy that craving. 

And it seems that people are fed up with the long journey, with Turtle Bay, alongside Wagamama, proving by far one of the most wanted restaurants in the comments. 

Burger King

Burger King's inclusion in this list will not come as a surprise to anyone. In fact, the only surprise will be that it has taken this long for it to get a mention. 

Residents have longed for the King to return to the city, with a Facebook page called ‘People of Worcester want a Burger King’ even set up in 2019 by Craig Smith and Barry Bozward.

In fact, the campaign even caught the eye of a local MP, who wrote to the Chief Executive of Burger King in hope of luring them to Worcester.

Burger King dominated the comments on our post, as was by far the standout winner. 

Charley Waring said: "The whole of Worcester want a Burger King, how many more times have you got to be told!"

Honourable Mentions

Carluccio's; Schuh; Woolworths; Decathlon (and other sports shops); Wimpy Burger; Jo Malone; Pret A Manger; Disney Store.