Visitors to Coventry searching for the restaurant quarter will have to keep looking well beyond the summer.

Bull Yard, which had been earmarked as an area for outdoor dining and drinking, contains just one restaurant – which was there long before the improvements were made to the area.

Coventry City Council were hoping to have new businesses in the area in time for the al fresco eating season, but have missed the deadline.

Mick Saunders, head of land and property for the council, said it was "highly unlikely" any new eateries would be in place before the autumn.

He said:

"We did have a response with the first round of advertising but not probably as strong as we would have hoped for.

"Since them we have targeted a number of people locally and nationally and that is still going on. Some people who submitted early approaches are still very keen and we are talking to them. It is too early to say anything but we hope to have some news in the next few weeks."

He added that there was interest in the former Escom and Jones Bros units but they were "not the type" the council had hoped for.

Coventry city centre is, however, bucking the trend of losing leisure and social development to out of town constructions.

Major brewers are showing an interest in buying and developing properties in the heart of Coventry, including chain J.D Westherspoon who are set to open a new pub in the city.

Work has begun on an £1.3 million pound development of the old H Samuel site in Trinity Street and Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon believes it will be an up-market venue.

He said:

"At the moment we are on schedule to open on August 4 and are likely to call the bar the Spotted Dog because there was a previous pub on this name on the site.

"However, we have had other suggestions which include the Flying Standard and the Pilgrim’s Rest."