New steakhouse and grill for Norwich city centre set to create up to 60 jobs

A new steakhouse and grill restaurant is due to open in Norwich city centre at the end of next month, with up to 60 jobs set to be created.

Middletons Steakhouse & Grill, which is owned by Gastro Pubs Ltd, is looking to expand across the Eastern region, and has taken over the former Castlegates pub and Malaysian Delights restaurant in Timberhill.

The company currently operates a restaurant and bar in Middleton, near King's Lynn, which has operated from the former Crown Inn for the past six years.

The Castlegates business had been under the ownership of a local Chinese family since 2003 and the pub had been adopted by many Norwich City football fans with its walls adorned with football memorabilia. The pub showed football, rugby and other sporting events on its widescreen TVs.

The restaurant was also well-known among regular diners for its authentic Thai and Oriental cuisine, but the family decided to sell in order to concentrate on other restaurants in the city and across the region.

Simon Jackaman, who handled the sale, said: 'This is an exciting opportunity for the owners of Gastro Pubs as it looks to strengthen its position with the opening of this new restaurant.

'This sector of the market is quite competitive and Norwich has seen a number of new openings in recent months, making it second only to Cambridge as the region's gastro capital for the largest concentration of restaurants and bars.'

Gastro Pubs has plans to roll-out its steakhouse and grill brand across further sites throughout the eastern region in the near future.

Do you know about a new restaurant/business opening soon in Norwich? Call reporter David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk