Dundee City Square’s transformation into a continental plaza is progressing with plans to open a second restaurant in the prominent setting.
The proprietors of Henry’s Coffee House at 4 City Square have applied for permission to covert the former city council box office next door at 6-7 City Square into a restaurant.
The council is spending £2 million improving City Square with landscaping, lighting, foliage, drainage and other works.
It believes the makeover from a stark venue for municipal offices into a vibrant, continental-style focal point will also sit well with the £1 billion waterfront redevelopment.
The idea of attracting cafe and restaurant operators to bring more life to the site was floated last year when the council invited “quality operators” to develop the former box office into a restaurant on a leasehold basis.
An early boost came when the former Twin City Cafe at No 4 reopened as a Henry’s Coffee House, with company director Jonathan Horne hailing the “great location” and backing the council’s vision to turn the setting into a continental-style square in Dundee.
His belief that throngs of customers would enjoy relaxing in the open-air pavement cafe culture proved true in the warm sunshine of this summer.
He and his sister now want to open a second outlet in the setting in the form of a 100-seat restaurant in the former box office.
His sister, co-director Candice Hickey, said: “Opening the coffee house in City Square has been a good move and we now want to do more there.
“City Square is a real focal point and the improvements there with the trees and paving giving it a softer and more welcoming feel.
“With all of the good things happening in that area, more events coming to the Caird Hall and the waterfront development in general, we feel it is the right time to take our ideas forward.
“What we are doing is a vote of confidence in City Square, and in Dundee.”
The restaurant will provisionally be called Square 67 and will be a family-themed dining venue offering pizzas, pasta, burgers and steaks.
Candice and her brother hope that if planning permission is granted, it can open in November.
They want to establish it as a indoor restaurant but would like in time to explore opening a pavement section outside to create a plaza ambience with their coffee house next door.
The brother and sister and fellow directors are opening a similar-themed restaurant, the Meat House Bar and Grill in Perth Road this year. The two restaurants are projected to employ about 50 people.
Derek Little, member of DD One, the forum for city centre businesses, said: “This is wonderful news that the restaurant plan is progressing.
“The City Square is looking really good. It is a real asset to the city and this type of venture will maximise its potential. It will give it a European square-type feel and, if it is approved, will be yet another good thing happening in Dundee.”