A POPULAR Japanese restaurant chain is set to open a branch at Middlebrook Retail Park.

Wagamama has around 130 restaurants in the United Kingdom and they are planning to move into the space currently occupied by Frankie and Benny’s.

The restaurant chain is now seeking permission from Bolton Council to replace the fascia signs outside Frankie and Benny’s with Wagamama signage.

Middlebrook representatives have welcomed the news and believe the restaurant will be ‘well received’.

Heather Crank-Ingham, marketing manager at Middlebrook Retail Park said: “It’s a very exciting brand to Middlebrook and I think it will do very well.

“It’s always good to have something a bit different and unique.

“I’m sure it will be well received by our shoppers.”

Frankie and Benny’s owners The Restaurant Group (TRG) bought Wagamama late last year, in a reported £559 million deal.

Earlier this year, the group which also owns Chiquito and Coast to Coast announced they would close a number of their Frankie and Benny’s restaurants.

In April, their Leigh and Blackburn branches both shut down. TRG blamed the decision to close the Blackburn restaurant on factors such as increased property costs but said they would try to ‘redeploy’ staff at other sites owned by TRG.

A spokesman for TRG said: “The casual dining market is facing various headwinds, such as increased property costs, which has impacted certain sites within our Leisure portfolio.

“We regret the impact on colleagues, and will ensure that they are supported throughout the process, as well as identifying opportunities for those wishing to remain in the business.

“Where possible, we have looked to redeploy staff to other sites within The Restaurant Group’s portfolio.”

At the time, the group said that there were absolutely no plans for Bolton’s two restaurants - at The Valley and Middlebrook - to close.

However less than three weeks on, Wagamama is advertising jobs for a sous chef, a front of house manager, and an assistant general manager at the unopened Bolton restaurant.

Despite this, it is understood that there will be no job losses as a result of the change.

The Middlebrook restaurant is currently scheduled to open in Autumn.