A vacant restaurant unit in South Tyneside is set to reopen as a food hall under new plans.
Earlier in June, an application was made to the South Tyneside Council for Frankie and Benny’s former unit at Boldon Leisure Park, off Abingdon Way.
This included consenting to advertise refreshed signage to make way for a new restaurant.
Planning documents name the future operator Gourmet 4 Food Hall & Bar, known for housing multiple food brands under one roof with dishes ranging from pizza and chicken to gourmet burgers.
According to the company’s website, Gourmet 4 aims to “transform outdated restaurants into vibrant markets where multiple brands offer a variety of different cuisines.”
Customers will also be able to order using a self-service system with in-place and take-out dining options available.
A statement on the Gourmet 4 website continues: “Gourmet 4 is a food market focused on quality, choice and speed.
“Through our extensive research, it became evident that the traditional food industry was not meeting the expectations of millennials and young people.
“The growth of online delivery organizations like Deliveroo and UberEats has dramatically changed customer expectations.
“Therefore, our mission is to bring these customers back to restaurants, housing several new current food brands in one building, such as a food hall. Therefore, catering for everyone.
The South Tyneside Council Planning Department approved advertising permission for the Boldon Leisure Park unit on July 2, 2021.
A report from town planners said the proposed announcements would be “in keeping with the commercial character of the area.”
Gourmet 4 operates at a number of locations across the UK including Bristol, Birmingham, Romford, Watford, Southampton and Newport.
The Boldon Amusement Park unit is listed as one of many “opening soon” locations and will house the Pizzaro, Fat Burgers, Smokey Joe’s and Saucy Chicks brands.
The development of the food court will also join Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons, which recently obtained a building permit to open a drive-through restaurant in the adjacent former Pizza Hut unit.
For more information on Gourmet 4, click here.
Details on applying for permission to advertise can also be found by visiting the South Tyneside Council online planning portal and searching for reference: ST / 0494/21 / ADV.