COMMERCIAL property specialists at Essex law firm Birkett Long have assisted in the opening of what is thought to be the UK’s largest restaurant.

Guests arriving at the 1,000-cover Za Za Bazaar venue in Bristol are greeted with a map as well as a menu to help them find their way around.

The Birkett Long team, led by David Rayner, who has wide experience of the retail and leisure sectors, helped deal with a range of issues involved in the opening, including police concerns over licensing matters, which were handled by specialist Ron Rosenthal.

It is the first in a planned national chain of “super-restaurants”, the next of which due to open in Norwich in spring 2012, with Mr Rayner again heading the commercial property legal team.

He said: “It is always exciting to be in at the start of a new venture and when it is a major new concept like Za Za Bazaar, doubly so.

“Having led retail and leisure sector groups as well as commercial property teams, I and my team at Birkett Long had all the necessary skill sets to drive a complex transaction through to a successful completion.

“We are looking forward to being part of the team that delivers more restaurants offering world cuisine to the UK.”