An American pizza restaurant chain is hoping to open its first European outlet in Dundee.
Project Pie said it had been attracted by the city’s commitment to transformation and by its large and centralised student population.
It hopes to create 14 full-time and seven part-time jobs if its planning application to take over premises at 48-54 Reform Street, which were formerly occupied by a branch of Santander bank, is successful.
The company was founded in Las Vegas only two years ago by entrepreneur James Markham and has a growing number of outlets in American and the Philippines. Its concept is to provide custom-made pizza, reflects growing international demand for high-quality “fast casual” food.
In a supporting statement to the application, architects Nicoll Russell Studios say: “The owners have chosen Dundee because they associate with the city’s drive of ‘changing for the future’ which includes the transformation of Reform Street.
“Dundee will benefit from the prestige of being recognised as the first Project Pie to open in the UK and, indeed, Europe. Dundee will be mentioned in all the ensuing publicity that will inevitably follow internationally.”
The application for change of use, including provision of 60-seater restaurant and a hot food takeaway, covers the ground floor and basement of the B-listed building, which was built in 1832.
For more on this story, see Friday’s Dundee edition of The Courier.