BELLY dancers are set to wow diners as a new Turkish restaurant opens its doors.

La Turka, which already has one restaurant in Manchester, will offer Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine at its new site in Rawtenstall.

The new and ‘unique’ menu will include mezzes, tapas, kebabs, seafood dishes and pasta risotto, along with Turkish wines and cocktails, as well as live entertainment including belly dancers and musicians.

Owners Zaf Kesici, 43, and Ishan Guler, 44, have chosen to set up their restaurant in Bank Street, which they have described as an ‘up and coming’ area.

Zaf and Ihsan, who are both originally from Turkey, have over 25 years of experience either working or owning some of the ‘finest’ restaurants and hotels.

Mr Kesici, who moved from Turkey to England in 1997 and now lives in Manchester, said he hopes the new bistro and bar will create a ‘holiday feeling’ for visiting locals and people coming from out-of-town.

He said: “We set up the concept for the people who have visited Turkey on their holidays and want them to get the same feeling when they are here - a holiday feeling.

“We are doing Mediterranean food and then playing live music on Friday and Saturday night. (On those days) it will be more like a party atmosphere and a wine bar for people to have a drink.”

The restaurant will cater to 100 people across two floors and include function rooms on the upper floor where people can book them for special occasions, such as birthday parties. These rooms will occupy around 40 people at a time.

It is also hoped the restaurant will create at least 20 new jobs, including bar staff, waiters and chefs as the new owners want to bring new employment opportunities for people in the local area.

The new bistro and wine bar will open from 10am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday and extended hours on Friday and Saturday night.

Starters will be priced from £3 upwards while main courses will cost up to £16, in line with the prices at their other restaurants, and will be served from 10am to 10pm. Drinks will be served until midnight.