The restaurant at the iconic Staincliffe Hotel is set to reopen within a week under new management.
Hartlepool Licensees' Association chairman Darab Rezai, whose company will take over the hospitality operations discusses the future of the restaurant.
Hartlepool Licensees' Association chairman Darab Rezai, whose company will take over the hospitality operations discusses the future of the restaurant.
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00:00 I'm in the Staincliffe Hotel with Dharab and I'm in the kitchen area of the former Ocean Bar.
00:06 Dharab, I believe you have plans for the future. What are they?
00:10 Right, my plan is, I had been approached by Aklam Development Company to say if I was interested in the hospitality of the hotel that they are purchasing.
00:23 And straight away I jumped on the opportunity because I always thought this is one of the best sites in the town.
00:31 And it given me an opportunity to open the restaurant as a fish restaurant and also introducing the carvery for Sundays and opening the rooms at the Peppercorn Rent, which is fantastic.
00:46 Peppercorn Rent, what does that mean?
00:48 Well, because there is a massive overhead in here and you have got to start from scratch and we have to spend a lot of money to get everything up to how it should be their standard.
01:00 I do understand the building is retired. I do understand that there's so much to do.
01:07 And basically, if they wanted to put any rent, it wasn't viable for me to take over the business.
01:15 I understand. So you're paying a nominal rent to allow you to develop a new hotel?
01:20 That basically means nothing. We are not paying anything, but we are employing and I'm passionate about hospitality of the town.
01:28 Of course.
01:29 We are employing people and also we are looking for another venue to move in when this goes for development, everybody would have a job with my company.
01:41 How long do you think it may take you before you opening the doors to your first customers?
01:45 It would be open within a week. The rooms are done nicely and they are up to standards.
01:53 We have got the boiler sorted out. I've had the electrician in today. I've had a few skips of rubbish away and we are checking everything.
02:02 We have had the fire officer. They've given the seal of approvement and we are there ready to open very soon.
02:10 Are you excited?
02:11 I am excited because they had only three employees. They have got a safe and secure job and we are employing night porters, managers, bar staff, kitchen staff, as well as breakfast chef, which is exciting.
02:27 Good news for the town. And also it stops the place being boarded up, which is not good for the town.
02:34 [BLANK_AUDIO]