Member Article

Bradford Indian restaurant chain curries favour with new Sheffield site

Bradford Indian restaurant group Akbar’s is now currying favour with Sheffield diners after opening a 180-cover diner in the city centre.

Bradford-based Akbar’s is operating at the 6,000 sq ft, two storey site of the former Antibo Italian restaurant in the West One development at 10, The Plaza, Fitzwilliam Street. The opening followed a month-long refurbishment programme.

The group was advised on the deal by Simon Mydlowski, a partner in the commercial property team of Yorkshire law firm Gordons.

Akbar’s managing director Shabir Hussain said: “We acquired the site after the resounding success of our branch six miles away in Meadowbank Road, Rotherham, expanding to Sheffield in order to accommodate inner city workers and residents.”

Commenting on Mr Mydlowski’s contribution to the deal, Mr Hussain said: “Simon helped us secure most of the buildings we now occupy, so his excellent service on this occasion didn’t surprise us. Here, he worked to an extremely tight timescale - which included the festive period, a very difficult time to do business - to push the deal through.

“His work included arranging a series of undertakings with the other lawyers concerned, which protected the interests of all parties involved, including ourselves.”

Founded in 1995 by Mr Hussain, Akbar’s has always striven to serve the very best in South Asian food.

The group now has 13 sites, including restaurants in Bradford, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and York, in addition to its South Yorkshire outlets.

Akbar’s intends that the Sheffield site’s launch will be followed by a string of other new restaurants, down the M1 to London.

Mr Mydlowski said: “Akbar’s have been an important client of ours for many years and we continue to value our association with them very highly.

“Groups like Shabir’s, who get their offerings right and work extremely hard to deliver them, will always deserve to prosper, so it’s brilliant to see the organisation now expanding again.”

Gordons has offices in Leeds, Bradford and London, employs 235 people and has a turnover of £22.9 million.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .