French culinary master to open Liverpool 1 brasserie

Jun 7 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

ONE of the world’s best chefs, Raymond Blanc, is to open a restaurant in the heart of Grosvenor’s £1bn Paradise Street project in Liverpool.

The French-born culinary king has signed up to create a stunning terraced restaurant in the new- look shopping and leisure development.

The Blanc Brasserie joins a growing number of food outlets opened by Raymond Blanc as part of a drive to take his food around the country.

Signing up a Michelin-rated cook is seen as one of the biggest coups for Grosvenor as it presses ahead with its Liverpool 1 scheme, the biggest retail and leisure development in Europe.

A spokeswoman for Mr Blanc said last night: “Raymond is expanding the number of his brasseries following the success of his restaurants in Manchester, Birmingham and Oxford. We are adding Leeds this year and will be opening in Liverpool next year.”

Blanc Brasseries traditionally restore and refurbish buildings previously used as restaurants. In Liverpool’s case, it will be a venture into a purpose-built restaurant as part of a new “dining terrace” in South John Street close to Chavasse Park.

The restaurants will be close to the new multi-screen Odeon cinema, creating a night-time economy in the city centre.

More than 75% of the shops and leisure outlets being built as part of Liverpool 1 have now been let or are under contract.

The Blanc Brasserie, along with Scottish-based Loch Fyne and futuristic Japanese sushi outlet Yo! Sushi, is among a few of the top names bidding to tickle the tastebuds of Liverpool diners.

They join a number of retailers, some of them new to Liverpool, attracted at the prospect of trading in what will be one of the country’s top shopping hot-spots.

The shopping mall, which will become Grosvenor’s “main street” will open in 12 months’ time along with anchor stores John Lewis and Debenhams. Meanwhile, work has started on creating a gateway to Liverpool 1 from Church Street.

The one-time Woolworth store will be the gatehouse to Paradise Street when a square is built through the centre of the building.

What will be known as Church Yard will be a key link between the old heart of the city centre and the new development.

Grosvenor has announced it will support a new “job shop” being established to help recruit up to 5,000 people needed for the new stores and leisure outlets.

larryneild@dailypost.co.uk