A POPULAR Basingstoke business is set to expand in the new year with the opening of its third restaurant in less than four years.

Greek Street, which is based at Chineham Shopping Centre and at Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club, will open a third restaurant in the town centre in Wote Street on January 16.

The family-run business opened its first restaurant in the town in September 2020 and has gone from strength-to-strength.

READ MORE: NHS will spend millions on maintenance during wait for new Basingstoke hospital

Its owner, Suzanna Collings, said she is “really excited” to open at a third venue, adding: “It’s in the town centre – we should have been there in the first place. We have lots of customers who can’t come to Chineham, most people need to drive there.

“Our customers have been asking ‘are you coming to town?’. It’s easier for people to get there than Chineham.”

Greek Street will still continue running its other two restaurants, but Suzanna said the Wote Street venue will have more seating available, with space for around 30 to sit down and eat.

She is also working with the owner of Plush Lounge Bar next door to the new venue, who has agreed for her to use their outside seating during the summer months.

“I’m really excited about the town location,” said Suzanna, who will employ another 10 members of staff to work at the Wote Street restaurant.

“At the moment we have 17 members of staff so I’m thinking another 10. We have lots of students from QMC and it gives them opportunities. I have students who come in as girls and leave as women,” said the mother-of-three.

SEE ALSO: Royal Mail gives update on postal disruption in Basingstoke, Tadley and Whitchurch

The new restaurant will open from 11am to 9pm occupying a unit that has been empty for several years.

The unit was due to be taken over be Kebab House after it was granted planning permission in December 2020 to open as a hot food takeaway.

However, the business never opened. Before, it was used as a barber shop which closed in 2020.