A new taste of Thailand is coming to Middlesbrough as a popular North East restaurant prepares to expand. 

Coco & Rum, which operates from Station Square in Saltburn, is set to open a new restaurant and bar on Linthorpe Road at the former TS:One bar. 

The unit has been vacant since TS:One - which first opened in 2013 - closed for good in July 2022. Signs have now been erected on the front of the venue, teasing it as “coming soon” as works continue to get underway. 

Coco & Rum has been delighting customers for several years from its home in Saltburn, serving up freshly cooked Thai food from its bistro and bar setting. 

It has swathes of positive reviews online and a 4.6 star rating on Google, with visitors praising the “beautiful” food and “warm and welcoming” venue. 

The chain has now placed several signs around the windows of the former TS:One as the opening draws nearer. This comes months after Mr Shobu Barua from Coco & Rum had plans green-lit by Middlesbrough Council to change the unit from a public house to a restaurant. 

The new venture said it was hoping to “bring a vibrant and contemporary dining experience to the area” while preserving the existing exterior of the two-storey building in the application, which was approved in February. 

The approved bid detailed how bosses wanted to “retain the architectural character of the existing structure” while “respecting its historical context.”

Plans noted how the façade, roof, and other external features would remain unchanged, with the application allowing for internal modifications to accommodate the dining space. 

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The proposals were submitted just weeks after an initial application from Mr Barua was refused over its “adverse impact on character and townscape value.” This would have seen the addition of a conservatory to the outside of the unit. 

An appeal was lodged but was dismissed by The Planning Inspectorate on May 7, with an inspector highlighting the main issue as “the effect of the proposed conservatory.” 

The Northern Echo has reached out to Coco & Rum for comment.