A chic new diner has had its highly anticipated opening in Blackburn town centre.

The DWNTWN (Down Town) restaurant takes up the space vacated by the former Roomali Restaurant and is based close to Reel Cinema and Dhana Lounge.

Work began on the building in 2021 and has seen extensive renovations take place to the interior and exterior of the structure.

It is the second major restaurant to open in the area in a matter of weeks giving the town centre a major boost.

Owners at DWNTWN said they had been ‘welcomed’ to Blackburn and urged more businesses to think about setting up in the town.

The £250,000, 80-seater eatery takes up two floors and includes terraces, balcony areas and glass-fronted exteriors. The venture is set to create up to 30 jobs for the town in full and part-time roles.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Presently, only the ground floor and outside seating area is open which is serving burgers, wings and shakes.

The second floor is set to be a ‘chic’ café – DWNTWN Perk and will launch within the next month. It is described as an ‘upmarket and exclusive’ location.

When the Leicester branch of DWNTWN opened it proved to be a major hit with diners in the city.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Ismail Mansur from the restaurant said: “We are delighted to be finally opening our doors in Blackburn.

“It has been a great experience for us to open in Blackburn on the back of the success of our Leicester branch.

“For those of us not familiar with the town it was wonderful to be welcomed here. People have been friendly and have been so helpful at every turn. We have already encouraged two more businesses to launch in the town and shared our experiences with them.

“Blackburn has great potential and a great community who are keen on trying new things. There is certainly a lot of opportunities for businesses of this nature.”

The official opening was attended by the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen and social media influencers.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Mr Mansur said: “It is a lovely location right in the heart of the town and with parking alongside it.

“We hope that customers from across the region will come to Blackburn to sample our unique dishes.”

Owners also revealed they were sourcing locations to make a further investment in the town.

The area around the Reel Cinemas has already undergone major transformations in the past three years with the old Campbells Amusement Arcade converted into retail units and offices.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The restaurant is located next to the Barton Street car park and close to the Feilden Street car park, and the menu features the brand’s ‘Smash Dwn’ burgers and pizzas as well vegetarian options.

It is hoped that further restaurants will open in Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Glasgow before the end of 2023.