West Tamworth's Hillvue Road was set to be the site of a new vegan, keto and paleo restaurant called The Shack.

Tamworth's version of the health food store was polished off by COVID-19 before even opening its doors and sold out earlier this year.

Instead, the storefront will become the new 'Heart Attacks Diner'.

Heart Attacks Diners currently operate in both Wagga Wagga and Young.

Advertising everything from "heartburn wings" and "cholesterol dogs" to "heart attacks family meals" the takeaway store could not be a bigger contrast to The Shack.

The Shack business owner Stephen Ajami told the Leader in May that he was attracted to Tamworth because the city already boasts so many fast food options.

"We like to open wherever we see a McDonalds or a KFC or an Oporto. We like to stand next to them and have that option. Wherever there is any of those fast foods stores that's where we'd like to open up," he said.

"Our menu's like a fast food [restaurant], but all in a healthy way. We're confident we can take a piece of the pie out of these fast food joints, and be for healthy people."

Read also:

The chain restaurant was actually under construction before selling out.

"COVID killed our plans," Mr Ajami told the Leader on Friday.

The 'Heart Attacks Diner' was contacted for comment on this story.

The suburb of West Tamworth is regarded as the fattest in Australia. According to 2017-18 Australian Health Policy Collaboration data, a whopping 93.8 per cent of the suburb's residents are overweight.

Statistics show at least 3790 people in Tamworth have diabetes.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: