One of the nation's favourite fish 'n chip shops and two other popular eateries are gearing up to open in Swansea this week - in an unexpected location. Signage is up, tables and chairs are out and staff are just putting the finishing touches at a newly renovated food hall-style dining area at the Sainsbury's supermarket in Quay Parade.
The dining area has been named "The Restaurant Hub," after its parent company, and will soon be home to Harry Ramsden's, Ed's Easy Diner and Caffe Carluccio's - all of which are new to Swansea - and will be opening to the public on Wednesday, March 22. The company aims to offer a "unique and different dining experience" where diners can "mix and match dishes" from any of the restaurant menus - and already has a site at a Sainsbury's supermarket in Bridgend and 14 locations in England.
On the menu at the Swansea Hub, dishes from the Ed's Easy Diner menu include American-style burgers, fry-up breakfasts and a huge "Flying Start Breakfast," whilst Harry Ramsden's offers classics like cod and chips and sausage and chips. Caffe Carluccio's menu items include a wide range of hot and cold drinks, as well as sandwiches, toasties, afternoon tea and meal deal options. You can get the biggest Swansea news stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
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Whilst the Swansea Hub is not yet listed on The Restaurant Hub's website, signage at the site indicates its opening date of Wednesday, March 22. On March 20, construction workers and restaurant staff could be seen on-site preparing it for opening.
Photos from the Hub, taken ahead of its opening, show a large dining area with tables and chairs and one ordering area, with each of the three restaurants' menus above it. It's understood diners will order all of their meals - no matter which menu they're ordering from - at the same till.
The Restaurant Hub's opening comes just a fortnight after Sainsbury's confirmed it would be closing 200 of its cafes, with many set to be taken over by The Restaurant Hub. At the time, Sainsbury's said that those losing their jobs from the café closures would be prioritised for vacant roles in Sainsbury's stores and encouraged to explore alternative roles within the wider business.
CEO of Sainsbury's, Simon Roberts said: "As we go through this period of transition, we have taken the difficult decision to close 200 of our cafes. We have spoken to all colleagues affected by these changes and are absolutely committed to supporting them in any way we can during this uncertain time."
WalesOnline has contacted The Restaurant Hub, Sainsbury's and Harry Ramsden's for further information on the new Swansea Hub - and we will add their comments to this article as soon as we hear back from them.
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