Oldfields Restaurants has announced that it plans to open a new city centre eatery in Newcastle this springtime.

Oldfields is negotiating to take over a prime site in Newcastle city centre . The move will see the closure of the Jesmond restaurant with immediate effect.

Restaurants Director Peter Wood said: “Our negotiations to take over a spectacular building in the heart of the city are at an advanced stage and we need to concentrate our efforts on gaining the necessary consents for its conversion to a food outlet .

“We planned this move some time ago but it has been accelerated in recent weeks because of a compelling offer we received from two partners with a wealth of experience in catering and business to take over the lease of the Jesmond premises as a going concern and to continue running it as a restaurant. It was important to us, having established a good quality and popular restaurant, that we were able to pass it on to people who wanted to preserve it as an attractive eatery.

“Under the new ownership, our premises at Jesmond will undergo a substantial renovation programme. Restoration work will be completed about the end of February. The two companies have worked well together to effect a smooth handover and we wish the new occupiers every success in their venture".

Oldfields employs eight full-time and 12 part-time staff at the Jesmond restaurant and it aims to retain as many as possible pending the opening of the new City Centre site. Most staff will be offered a transfer to the Durham restaurant in the short-term and the company is helping to arrange accommodation within the Durham area for those who require it.

The style of catering will offer unpretentious, traditional British food in relaxed, modern surroundings.

Bill Oldfield said: “ We will offer a dining experience currently unavailable in Newcastle. We source almost all of our food locally and the menu, which will include many traditional favourites, will offer high quality at reasonable prices in a very comfortable and easy-going setting.”

Oldfields Restaurants recently won the Taste of North East England Award in the North East England Tourism Awards 2007 and last month Oldfields in Durham was voted Durham Restaurant of the Year for the second year running.

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