A leisure group is poised to create 60 jobs by opening a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant in Newcastle city centre.
Cafe Andaluz – which forms part of Glasgow-based The DRG group – first signed up for the site of the old Natwest bank and, latterly, the Carluccio’s restaurant in Newcastle’s Grey Street in April.
The site has been closed since failing to form part of a partial rescue deal for the Italian chain, brokered by Boparan Restaurant Group last year.
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Cafe Andaluz, which has five restaurants across Scotland, is now set to open inside the venue in October, after DRG announced expansion outside its heartland for the first time.
The company pledges to recreate “dining out in your favourite Andalusian restaurant”, bringing a trip to Spain back on the cards for North East diners.
The company has issued computer generated images of what the completed work, currently taking place inside the grand Grey Street property, will look like - showing the brand’s trademark mosaic tiling, heavy mahogany Moorish style tables and outsize lantern lighting.
Booths will run along the double height windows and a cocktail bar features in the main restaurant too.
On the first floor, a private dining room comes complete with a private bar and curved booth following the rounded corner profile of the historic building. The room can host groups from 30 to 60 for private events and celebrations.
Tony Conetta of the DRG group, which has a portfolio of 20 restaurants, said: “This is an exciting new chapter for us all.
“Grey Street is a fantastic location and when the old NatWest building became available, we had to make a move. A lot of people will know the brand from trips to Edinburgh and now can enjoy the best Spanish Tapas closer to home.”
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