Carluccio's to open fifth site this year

The Carluccio's chain of Italian café-restaurants and food stores is expanding into St John's Wood, north-west London, following the purchase of a site from Mitchells & Butlers.

The site, sold in an off-market deal, will become the chain's fifth restaurant opening this year, joining sites in Windsor, Putney, Fulham and Hampstead.

It will be Carluccio's 18th restaurant overall.

Fitting out of the 100-seat restaurant, which will be laid out over the basement, ground and first floor, begins later this month.

The rent paid by Carluccio's will start at £130,000 a year and rise to £152,500 by the fifth year of the new 25-year lease. An undisclosed premium was paid.

Agents Shelley Sandzer acted for Carluccio's and Colliers CRE for Mitchells & Butlers.

by Nic Paton

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