Frankie and Benny's under construction at Flowerdown Retail Park.

Restaurant to open in summer

Report by Charlotte Richardson , chief reporter Thursday, April 5, 2012
12:00 PM

A RESTAURANT chain will create dozens of new jobs when it opens a new outlet in Weston this summer.

Frankie and Benny’s has started recruiting staff to work at the Flowerdown Retail Park site on the outskirts of town.

Although the Italian-American restaurant chain cannot confirm an exact opening date at the moment, bosses hope to welcome their first customers around mid-June.

The firm is currently recruiting for managers and will be recruiting for floor, bar and kitchen staff from late April or early May.

Details of the jobs available will also be displayed in the area’s job centres and a banner will be displayed at the restaurant site closer to the opening time with details of how to apply.

The restaurant will seat 138 diners with a further eight in the bar area.

Cranford Developments won an appeal last year after permission was refused for the restaurant.

The company had originally hoped to bring the Italian-American restaurant operator to the Flowerdown Retail Park by the end of last year.

But North Somerset Council officers, who feared the outlet would attract trade away from the town centre, refused the planning application.

Plans for the site, which also includes a Costa Coffee, were delayed because of the need for an appeal.

The refusal was overturned in September after it was pointed out that B&Q near the restaurant site has a café and outlets such as Costa and Frankie and Benny’s are commonly found at retail parks across the country.

A Frankie and Benny’s spokesman said: “Our restaurant will bring a little bit of New York to the heart of Weston and we look forward to serving the area’s residents and visitors.”

12 comments

I think B&Q staff might use a kettle in the staff room!

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DA

Friday, April 6, 2012
I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't find the cafe in B&Q, apart from the vending machines as you leave I haven't seen anything else in there.

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Joanna Wilkins

Friday, April 6, 2012
were they confusing B&Q with bar-b-que, they do sell a few.Nsc muppets at it again.

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alcaz

Friday, April 6, 2012
Looking forward to it, l know l wear glasses but l didn't think l was daft too, have been in B&Q many times but l've never found a cafe.

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jab

Thursday, April 5, 2012
i do hope this is an April fool we have enough costa Coffee outlets i heard that was going to be a starbucks

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Pritch

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Mmmm can't wait to try the special Elphin burger it's big & fat! yum yum

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Nathan

Thursday, April 5, 2012
B&Q never had a cafe, it might have been a nearby burger or ice cream van!. Believe it or not the helicopter museum is classed as a charity. Why?

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DA

Thursday, April 5, 2012
It really was laughable that NSC tried to stop this from happening, especially when you consider all the other retail and fast food restaurants they've happily allowed to be built out of the town centre over the years. Thankfully common sense prevailed on this one.

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Weston2010

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Maybe the cafe in the helicopter museum around the corner was at risk? Hmm, now which deputy council leader is patron of the museum......

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weston41

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Looks like they might have been attracted by the fact the leisure dome will be right next to it.

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gary James

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Where iswas the cafe in B&Q?

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Westonman

Thursday, April 5, 2012
Glad they won the appeal, I don't know why anyone at NSC would think this will take business from the town centre. Does a councillor own a cafe?

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weston41

Thursday, April 5, 2012