Shrewsbury restaurant ready to reopen doors after £500,000 revamp
A landmark Shrewsbury restaurant is to reopen next week under new ownership, creating about 30 jobs.
The Bellstone in Barker Street is in the final stages of a near-£500,000 refit, which has been taking place since July.
It will open on Thursday.
Signage went up outside the building yesterday as final preparations for the opening continue.
New manager Doug Blackmore will be in charge of running the business for joint owners Ian Morris, Dan Fletcher and Andrew Huffer.
He said that Trevor Hopwood had been taken on as its head chef. He used to work with This Morning star Phil Vickery at his King of Prussia restaurant in Buckinghamshire.
Mr Blackmore said: "He applied when he saw the team of people putting it together.
"There have been about 30-plus jobs created now and all the workmen have been local. It is a massive refit," added Mr Blackmore.
"We are hoping to offer the best food, drinks and service in town to complement all the other superb venues we are blessed with in the county town."
The business will have 12 bedrooms for overnight guests while its restaurant menu will have a contemporary British theme.
Mr Blackmore is still recruiting kitchen team members with positions to be filled including a chef de partie, commis chefs and kitchen porters.
