An international kebab chain has been given the green light to open its first Norwich branch.

German Doner Kebab (GDK) could soon open in part of the former Argos store in St Stephens Street after City Hall approved plans for the site.

This follows the approval of Merkur Slots for the other half of the unit.

The plans to open a GDK have been approvedThe plans to open a GDK have been approved (Image: District Four Design)

Under the plans, the shopfront will be painted black with the traditional bright orange GDK logo across the top. 

Inside there will be three self-service machines, some booth seating and an open counter.

READ MORE: Opening date announced for first city centre branch of national bakery chain

The kebab chain will be going into half of the former Argos in St Stephens StreetThe kebab chain will be going into half of the former Argos in St Stephens Street (Image: Google)

The agent acting on behalf of the chain restaurant, Haris Kasuji at R R Planning, said: "The proposed scheme will result in investment and job creation of approximately 30-40 new jobs in the town centre at a time when the high street is suffering."

The first GDK store opened in Berlin in 1989, expanded into Dubai in 2013 and debuted in the UK in 2015.

There are now more than 160 GDK sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden, North America and the Middle East.

The chain has three years to start work at the Norwich site.

THE DONER KEBAB DIVIDE

Germany and Turkey are currently in a food fight after Turkey applied to have the popular street food given 'protected status' by the European Union. 

Spain's Serrano ham and Italy's Neapolitan pizza have the same status.

This would give Turkey the power to dictate how the dish is made, including the meat composition, salt content, and thickness of the slices. Germany opposes this, arguing that it would create too much red tape and raise prices.

Germany and Turkey are in a dispute over the doner kebabGermany and Turkey are in a dispute over the doner kebab (Image: Canva) According to National Geographic, seasoned meat was cooked on a horizontal rotisserie as early as the 1600s in Turkey. 

The town of Bursa is often considered the birthplace of the doner kebab, but it has grown so popular that in its second home of Germany, it recently surpassed currywurst as the nation’s favourite fast food in a YouGov poll.

Some even argue the doner kebab is, in fact, a German invention, after Turkish immigrants started making it in the country in the 1960s.