Business leaders today welcomed the announcement that an Italian restaurant chain was moving into one of Norwich's most prominent empty stores.

Carluccio's is taking over the upstairs floor of the former Borders at Chapelfield shopping centre, which has been vacant since December 2009 after the collapse of the bookshop chain.

It comes just months after Swedish home and leisure store Clas Ohlson moved into the bottom part of the former Borders store last December.

The news has been welcomed by Caroline Williams, chief executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.

She said: 'Carluccio's Italian Restaurant is a well established national chain and it is great news for Norwich that they have chosen to open their first Norfolk outlet in the city. This will create new jobs and boost Chapelfield's customer offering even further.'

Meanwhile, Chapelfield's general manager Davina Tanner said it was fantastic news for the mall and for Norwich as a city. She said: 'It enhances what we have to offer and we are very excited about it. It will also bring more employment opportunities to the city.'

Simon Kossoff, the managing director at Carluccio's, said the company had been looking for sites in Norwich for a while.

He said: 'When the space came up in Chapelfield, we were thrilled. It is a great city, and the whole area around us is vibrant and fun.

'I am sure we are going to do really well in Norwich and very much looking forward to opening at the end of May.'

This will be Carluccio's 54th opening but the first in Norfolk, although there are restaurants in Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge in our region. Carluccio's is set to open on May 26.

Carluccio's first caf� with its own foodshop opened in Market Place, near Oxford Circus in London in 1999. The chain aims to serve delicious Italian food freshly prepared on the premises, at sensible prices.

Do you know of a new shop opening in Norwich? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk