A popular Indian street food restaurant is moving next door to bigger premises to keep up with demand.
Indian Summer is closing on Sunday, May 24 and reopening the following Tuesday at the former Maison du Vin unit.
It says it had to turn away 100 people every weekend last summer, and on Valentine’s Day this year, 180 people turned up without booking and couldn’t be squeezed in.
Co-owner Minesh Agnihotri said: “Whilst it’s nice to be full, turning away so many potential customers, isn’t brilliant business.
“By moving next door to our existing premises, it means the restaurant will be closer to the sea.”
The move is the result of an £85,000 reinvestment and will see at least three new jobs for kitchen, bar and front of house staff.
The new larger venue will seat about 90 diners, half as many again as its current site.
Maison du Vin was fined more than £4,500 following dead mice being found in the basement and mice and rat droppings throughout the premises.
It closed voluntarily before being taken to court by Brighton and Hove City Council in January last year.
Indian Summer was one of four restaurants to represent Brighton and Hove in last year’s Curry Capital of the Year, in which the city came second only to Bradford.
Indian food lovers can nominate their city for this year’s contest by emailing “Brighton” to vote@fedrest.com. Details at www.currycapitalofbritain.org.uk.
