FRENCH restaurant Le Bistrot Pierre will put 50 new jobs on the menu for Newport when it opens as part of the new Friars Walk development next month.

School friends Rob Beacham and John Whitehead set up the business 21 years ago and have 14 restaurants across the UK – including one in Cardiff.

This will be the independent group’s first bistro to open in a retail and business park in the UK and the striking interiors, pictured, are unique to the Newport restaurant.

Located in a prime south facing position in Friars Walk, a total of £90,000 has been invested in the new premises and, with outdoor seating, it will seat more than 170 people Co-owner Mr Beacham said the opportunity to open another bistro in Newport’s £90 million Friars Walk development was too good to miss.

He said: “It’s fair to say Newport wasn’t initially on our radar after we located to Cardiff, but we had so much feedback from our Welsh customers fairly early on telling us we should come to Newport.

“Newport is a thriving city and it’s exciting to be part of the Friars Walk development that isn’t just bringing a new food and drink offering to the centre, but a whole leisure package including a theatre and cinema.

“It’s essential to be innovative and creative and there’s no room to be complacent in this business, so we are looking forward to our first foray of being within a shopping centre and rubbing shoulders with other excellent retail and leisure brands.”

Friars Walk will officially open its doors to the public at 10am on November 12 and it is estimated that it will create more than 1,200 jobs.

Le Bistrot Pierre is one of 14 restaurants set to open in the 390,000 sq ft development and Mr Beacham said that they have been inundated with applications for jobs in recent months.

He said: “We are branching out into new territory with a wealth of experience behind us. There’s a real sense of excitement from all the businesses set to open in November and feeling of camaraderie.

“It’s a huge boost for the city and Bistrot Pierre will be creating 50 jobs which is fantastic for the local economy.

“We’ve not only had a very high number of people applying for jobs, but a really high calibre of applications too, so selecting our team has been difficult.”