PLANS for celebrity chef Rick Stein to open a new restaurant in Marlborough High Street have been given the go-ahead.

There were some mixed reviews about Stein Trading Limited’s proposal to turn Lloran House into an eatery, but Wiltshire Council has approved planning permission this week.

The restaurant will serve 102 covers, employ around 40 people and hopes to boost tourism in the area.

Job vacancies are already being advertised online and the restaurant will be set over the first and ground floor, which would also have a bar and booth seating areas.

President of Marlborough’s chamber of commerce Alex Minoudis said: “This is terrific news for the town, and is already causing a lot of excitement.

“Diners are sure to come from far and wide, and we would encourage them to make a day of it, and take time to enjoy the full Marlborough retail and hospitality experience.”

Stein, 68, owns The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow which he opened in 1974 with his wife at the time, Jill Newstead. It has established an international reputation for the fresh fish and shellfish it serves.

His sons also work for the company and it will be their first business in Wiltshire.

The application said: “As an internationally recognised brand, without any other local restaurants, the proposed occupier will be a new tourist feature within its own right. It will therefore give the area a unique draw for tourists, locals and related businesses that no other local centres have.”

Mayor Margaret Rose added: “He is an eminent chef and has got a very good reputation. I think a good eating house in the High Street could not be a bad thing.”