CHINESE takeaway chain Hotcha is coming to Liverpool as part of plans to expand across the UK.

The Bristol-based company, which has 10 outlets and claims to be the UK's only chain of its kind,  has signed up its first franchisees with the aim of opening more than 100 stores over the next five years.

With sales of £4.5m, Hotcha plans to open ten stores across the region, in Liverpool, Manchester and Chester, saying its mission is "to become the number 1 takeaway chain in the UK with a service culture that is, Fast, Friendly and Fresh!"

Last year, Chinese food took over from fish and chips as the UK's favourite teakeaway, but as yet there is no real national chain.

Hotcha founder James Liang, who started the company three years ago, says he wants to compete with big pizza brands such as Domino’s and Papa John’s.

He said: “We started in 2011 with an aim of becoming the first national brand in the Chinese takeaway market. We wanted to be the Domino’s of Chinese.

“We knew it was going to be difficult, because there’s no one who has done it before and there’s no one out there whose business model we can copy."

With that in mind, Hotcha has appointed a former marketing consultant for Domino Pizza,  Vicky Robinson.