Historic Low Level station in Wolverhampton could be transformed into a huge Chinese restaurant, it was revealed today.

The move comes after a multi-million casino deal for the site collapsed at the eleventh hour.

Workers have spent more than two years restoring the station off Wednesfield Road to bring a slice of the city’s history back to life.

The site, opposite a new £40 million student village due to open in September, has been on the market for an undisclosed sum for six months after the casino plans fell through.

Today it emerged an unnamed Chinese restaurant chain is in talks with developers about taking over the building.

Jonathan Cox, of Birmingham-based Oswin Developments which has restored the old station back to its former glory, said: “We always said we wanted the site to become a casino, even after the plans fell through, but there has been no interest from any casino chains.

“We have been in talks with a company about turning it into an Asian restaurant which would have a big Chinese-style buffet in the centre.”

Claremont Leisure had planned to transform the site with around £6m worth of gambling machines and Las Vegas-style fittings.

But the company announced it would not be going ahead with the development just days before it was due to move in back in July.

The station closed to passenger services in 1964 after 110 years in use and its parcels depot ended in 1981.

The gambling hub was set to be one of the final projects in its £35 million redevelopment, which also includes a Premier Travel hotel, the Bluebrick pub and restaurant and the construction of 208 homes.

News of the latest plans have emerged after proposals for an Indian restaurant at Tettenhall’s railway station site were rejected by council planners.