Waterfront restaurant conversion underway

Work is well underway to convert the former Quayside Restaurant, at Ipswich Waterfront, into an American style diner.

The Grand Central Bar & Grill is being developed by regional pub and restaurant company TLC Inns which already has a Grand Central restaurant in Colchester.

At Ipswich the former Quayside restaurant, in the Regatta Quay building, is being converted to become a Grand Central diner, opening in the Spring of next year.

The Quayside restaurant closed after four years of trading, and the commericial unit has now been sold.

The former restaurant is being increased in size by taking in the neighbouring commercial unit.

Steve Haslam of TLC Inns said: “Yes, we are well underway. We have had to get 20 tonnes of rubble out of the building.

“Work is going to plan.

“We are able to work inside, which is nice, and we are still aiming for an opening in the New Year, probably in March.

“It is all good. We are managing to get fed next door at Pizza Express.”

There had been a lot of interest from local people and other nearby businesses, he said.

“Everyone is very interested in the progress.

“We have met a few of the people from the other restaurants here. They are really nice people. There is a lot of support for what we are doing.

“Everyone wants to see it open again.”

There is a lot of investment and activity at the Waterfront again.

Nearby there is landscaping work alongside Key Street, the St Mary-at-the-Quay church is being redeveloped as a community centre for the MIND charity and the residential tower block, which has become known as The Winerack, is going to be completed by its new owners.