A POPULAR cheese and wine bar is expanding into Poole's Old Town.

Renoufs will be opening a new restaurant in the place of the former Pizza Express on Poole High Street.

The new restaurant will be Dorset-grown Renoufs ninth location and it will supply 10 jobs for residents, building on the team of 70 they already employ.

The prominently located restaurant in Poole Old Town is arranged over 3-storeys and extends to approximately 210 sq m. It also includes a spacious rear courtyard providing outside seating.

Conversion of the Grade II listed building into a Renoufs Cheese and Wine Bar is now underway.

Trevor Ayling, CEO of Renoufs said: “We are so excited to be coming to Old Town Poole and have been waiting for the right venue to become available.

Bournemouth Echo:

30, High Street Poole. Picture: Goadsby's

“We were offered the Pizza Express site last year, but with our new venues in Westbourne, Canford Cliffs and Christchurch, there was so much to do. But now we’re ready!

“Old Town is a really exciting opportunity and is clearly becoming a hot spot for social dining.

“Renoufs Old Town Poole, will host our usual wine tasting events, and offer a carefully curated wine list of over 200 fabulous wines as well as our incredible sharing platters of local and international cheese and charcuterie.

“We will also be offering alfresco dining in our beautiful rear courtyard, lined with palm trees as well as offer street dining.”

Goadsby Commercial have completed the letting of 30 High Street, Poole to the fast expanding Renoufs Cheese & Wine Bar group.

Mark Nurse of Goadsby said: “We were pleased to assist our client in the letting of this substantial former Pizza Express restaurant. The new owners Renoufs will invest in a complete refurbishment of the restaurant so that it meets their customers' high standards.

“The premises will be the 7th restaurant in the successful group which also includes two additional Renoufs Pantry Cheese shops.

“The first Renoufs opened in Westbourne in 2015 and was sold by Goadsby and we were also involved in the Lyndhurst and Christchurch venues.

“I am delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Reoufs once again and I have no doubt that this new unit will only add to the success of the hugely successful group.”