A RESTAURANT in York city centre that has been shut for the best part of a year is set to get a new lease of life.

The original Filmore & Union restaurant in Low Petergate closed in May last year and since then the building has laid empty, but now there are signs that something new is coming.

Advertising hoarding has gone up on the outside of the building for a Grön cafe and bar to open.

Headed up by Horsforth-born Matt Healy, who was runner-up in Masterchef: The Professionals in 2016, Grön means ‘green’ in Swedish and the eatery will be offering a menu of vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes created by Matt Healy.

Matt already runs The Foundry at Saw Mill Yard in Leeds and has a Grön at 454, Roundhay Road in Oakwood, Leeds and on their website, Matt says: “People are actively cutting down on their meat consumption and veganism is definitely proving to be a big movement that is going mainstream.”

Inside the venue will feature a moss wall and their mantra "Keep it Clean" in neon lights with space for between six and eight covers down and at least 20 covers upstairs where the kitchen will be.

Grön has put in a licensing application to City of York Council to be able to supply alcohol from Monday to Sunday from 11am - 10.40pm.

In addition they want to be able to have live music on Saturdays and Sundays from 8pm-11pm as well as show films from 8am-11pm Monday to Sunday.

They plan to open from 8am-11pm Monday to Sunday. All things being equal, Grön hopes to open in February.

The building is next to the La Vecchia Scuola Italian restaurant and was formerly home to Filmore & Union which specialised in health-inspired neighbourhood catering. They first opened their doors in 62A Petergate in 2012 and closed suddenly in May last year.

It still has outlets at York station and John Lewis at Vangarde in the city as well as Beverley and Wetherby.