TV chef Rick Stein has confirmed that he has bought Cafe Shore in Sandbanks and plans to open a new 200-seater restaurant in the autumn.

It follows months of speculation amongst local estate agents and business owners after the fashionable restaurant on the Poole peninsular went into liquidation in early February.

The self-titled ‘Rick Stein’ restaurant will offer classic seafood dishes such as Dover sole meunière, turbot hollandaise and fruits de mer, alongside a more casual lunch time menu with dishes such as a crab salad and moules frites.

Rick told the Echo: “Sandbanks is the perfect place for a good fish restaurant. I've had my eye on it ever since I passed through about 15 years ago when I travelled the coast of Britain to make the Seafood Lovers’ Guide. Somewhere to drop in for local lemon sole, oysters or crab I thought, and now my dream has come true.

“It'll be a place for some informal, inexpensive seafood maybe coming off Sandbanks beach or for spending some time on the Poole harbour side of the restaurant eating lobster or Dover sole, drinking lovely chilled white Burgundy and thinking how relaxing a view over the water can be. I'm very excited.”

Jill Stein with her son, Ed, and daughter-in-law, Kate will start the interior design. Jill added: “I have fond memories of visiting Sandbanks with my aunt and uncle as a child and playing on the beach. It’s a beautiful place to be so I’m thrilled we’re opening a restaurant here. We’re taking inspiration from the local surroundings and coast for the interiors. Ed is making a trip to Carrara to pick the marble for the bar where you will be able to eat shellfish and drink cocktails.”

Bruce Grant-Braham, Chair of Poole Tourism, said: "I am absolutely delighted that Poole will be welcoming a Rick Stein restaurant later this year. Their reputation for quality and fine cuisine is second to none, and will act as a major draw for visitors to the town. Poole already boasts a strong eating-out scene and the investment in this new restaurant will endorse that still further."

Since Rick opened his first flagship seafood restaurant in 1975, the Padstow-based business now extends so far the town has been re-named Padstein. Steinbanks could well be next.

The team currently have a number of career opportunities in managerial, kitchen and front of house positions available. If you are interested please get in touch through rickstein.com/careers.