Shere Khan set to add spice to town

11:33am Monday 19th March 2007

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AN Indian restaurant - set to be one of the biggest in East Lancashire - is to open in May.

Workers are busy transforming the old Audi showroom in Eanam, Blackburn, into a restaurant and function room.

And the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce says that the restaurant could be a "flagship opportunity" to show off the Asian culture in the town.

Restaurant chain Shere Khan is turning the former garage into a 270-seat restaurant with rooftop car parking for diners.

And Blackburn businessman Shoaib Patel and partner John Saddique, who runs similar franchises in Birmingham, are on the lookout for staff to work in the new restaurant.

Mr Patel, who owns the Tayyabah Bakery in Higher Eanam, said: "It's a fantastic building and is going to look great.

"We are expecting the work to take around six to eight weeks.

"We are advertising for staff including waiters, waitresses, kitchen staff and managers.

"We are looking to employ around 30 full and part time staff."

Shere Khan is a North West-based chain, which has a turnover of about £10million.

The group runs restaurants in areas including the Curry Mile in Rusholme, Manchester, the Trafford Centre and Chester.

Tony Raynor, president of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and chairman of Blackburn and District Enterprise Trust, welcomed the proposal because he said it offered the chance to use Blackburn's cultural resources to improve the economy.

He said the restaurant could be a "flagship opportunity" to show off the Asian culture in Blackburn.

David Cottam, president of Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade, said anything that brought business to Blackburn was a "good" thing.