French restaurant chain look to open second premises in York (From York Press)

French restaurant chain, Rustique, look to open second premises in York

9:34am Saturday 1st September 2012 in News By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

THE owners of a French restaurant chain are looking to open their second York branch in the former home of an antiques centre.

Rustique, which unveiled its first restaurant in Castlegate in 2004, has applied for permission to convert part of the building in Lendal which once housed the York Antiques and Collectors Centre.

If the proposals are approved, Rustique, which has also opened restaurants in Richmond and Halifax, would take up the whole of the lower ground floor area of the Grade II-listed building as well as a currently vacant section of the upper ground floor.

It would be the latest restaurant to open in an area which has already seen the arrival of Jamie’s Italian, owned by top TV chef Jamie Oliver, earlier this year.

Since its opening, the company’s Castlegate restaurant has made the final shortlist in tourism body Visit York’s Taste of York Awards and was ranked as one of the ten most talked-about places to eat in the UK by travel website TripAdvisor last year.

Daniel Broome, Rustique’s co-proprietor, said: “Our first restaurant in York has gone really well and has done everything we wanted it to, which is why we are now looking to open a second business in the city.

“We really like York – it’s a good city and a brilliant market for us, with plenty of interest from residents and visitors in our restaurant, and so it seemed like the right idea to look at expanding.”

A planning statement sent to City of York Council said the building was not seen as being suitable for shops.

The statement said: “The application builds on the popularity of the existing Rustique restaurant in Castlegate.

“Lendal is becoming increasingly important as a restaurant zone, with established operators including Zizzi, The Graduate, The Judge’s Lodgings, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and the recently-opened Jamie’s Italian.

“The new use of the building would be beneficial to the vitality and viability of the street and the city centre, and will ensure its continued maintenance.”

Council planners are expected to make a decision on Rustique’s proposals next month.

The building, which dates back to 1812, began life as a chapel and has since been used as a restaurant, shops and an amusement arcade as well as the antiques centre.