A huge new restaurant complex is to open 20 minutes from Coventry

[dutchman]

The former Co-op building at the Swan Centre in Chapel Street is to become a new dining destination



A former Co-op building is set to become a multi-million pound restaurant complex housing four new restaurants.

The new dining destination - Chapel Street Dining - will be located in the former Swan Centre in Rugby and is set to open for business in summer 2017.

The restaurant tenants are set to be named soon but the developers have pledged they will be “well-known restaurant operators”.

Planning permission has been given to the scheme - much like Cathedral Lanes in Coventry - which will be developed by Caracal properties.

Lisa Byers, project management team of Caracal Properties, said: “We’re extremely excited to be creating a hub of national restaurants for the town of Rugby, we believe it fills a currently under-served thriving town with dining quarter for both day and night.

“We have had several extremely positive and supportive meetings with the council and Rugby First, to ensure the Swan Centre redevelopment enhances the town centres attractiveness and dining options for the community.

"We are very confident that we will achieve this.”

In September 2015 Heart of England Co-operative Society announced it planned to close all its non-food stores across Warwickshire, including Rugby.

Co-op bosses said the decision was taken as the stores were no longer viable due to the rise of online shopping and what they described as “a challenging retail environment”.

Welcoming the plans to transform the former Co-op store Aftab Gaffar, managing director of Rugby First, said: “This is great news for the town centre and a fantastic boost to the local economy.

“Not only will this development enhance the town centre offer but it also has the potential to create a lot of full and part-time jobs.”