ANOTHER restaurant chain is getting ready to move in to York city centre, close to the new Carluccio’s planned for St Helen’s Square.
Joe’s Kitchen – a “casual dining” brand owned by the company behind restaurant chains like Frankie and Benny’s and Chiquito – could soon be opening at 1-3 Coney Street, just off St Helen’s Square.
The Restaurant Group is in lined up to open a branch of the bar and restaurant in the old Cafe Rouge building on Coney Street, just yards from the Mansion House.
Cafe Rouge has been closed for some time, leaving the prime location on one of York’s busiest streets empty and unused.
Last month Joe’s Kitchen submitted a licensing application for permission to sell alcohol and have recorded music at the venue.
Papers show the company wants to open the bar and restaurant from 8am to 12.30am seven days a week, and is asking for a “late night refreshment” licence so it can serve food and drinks later than 11pm.
The company’s licence application is current being assessed and processed by the City of York Council, but the restaurant will not be able serve alcohol until a manager or “designated premises supervisor” (DPS) is named.
However, plans appear to be moving on and the company has now made a separate planning application for permission to put up new signage outside the restaurant.
If it goes ahead, the new Joe’s Kitchen will be across St Helen’s Square from a planned Carluccio’s set to open in the former TSB and Swarovski buildings.
The Italian restaurant chain wants to make the venue its second in the city – after the concession in Fenwicks – and create a new 148-seater, three-storey restaurant and delicatessen, creating 40 jobs.
It is the latest of a number of bar and restaurant chains making a bid to move into York. Plans are underway for a branch of Cosy Club to open in Fossgate and last week The Press reported how The Botanist cocktail bar and restaurant and Gusto restaurant are in talks to move into the old Mulberry Hall building in York.
