CELEBRITY chef JamieOliver is opening a newrestaurant inHampshire.

The Jamie Oliver Group hastaken a 25-year lease on a build-ing that was a former Pizza Hut,and will open a Union Jacksrestaurant later this year.

The branch in Winchester isthought to be the first UnionJacks outside London, whereseveral branches have opened inthe past six months.

The restaurant offers some-thing new – a British pizza. Thepizzas have more traditional UKtoppings such as Cheddar, redonion and pork, Stilton, crack-ling and watercress.

A spokesman for Green andPartners, the letting agents, saidUnion Jacks was due to move into start fitting out in the nexttwo to three weeks.

The restaurant is expected tocreate about 35 jobs and is due toopen in mid-summer, said aspokeswoman for Mr Oliver.

She added: “Winchester is abeautiful city and we feel we’vefound a fantastic site for therestaurant. We have had somegreat feedback from the firstUnion Jacks in London and sohopefully we can bring some-thing really special to the city.”

Since emerging in the 1990s,Mr Oliver has built up a multi-million-pound food empire,including restaurants, TVshows, books and evangelicalfood campaigns.

Chris Turner, executive direc-tor of Winchester Business

Improvement District, said: “Itis brilliant news and adds to thelustre of the city. We had heardthat Jamie Oliver and Nando’s

were lined up. Either wouldhave been great.”

In recent years Winchesterhas become a ‘foodie’ destina-tion, with the first-ever Hotel duVin, as well as a Brasserie Blancand Loch Fyne.

TV chef James Martin co-owns a deli in The Square, whiletwo restaurants have wonMichelin stars – the Black Ratand the Chesil Rectory, both inChesil Street.

Jamie Oliver has a Jamie’sItalian restaurant at GunwharfQuays in Portsmouth.

NEWSIN BRIEF

For up-to-the-minute news and information dailyecho.co.ukThursday, February 2, 2012 5

n By Andrew Napierandrew.napier@dailyecho.co.uk

“ It isbrilliant

news andadds to lustre

of the city

WINCHESTER: Celebrity chef to open Union Jacks branch at former Pizza Hut

Jamie wants pizza therestaurant action

PLANS: Jamie will open Union Jacks at the old Pizza Hut site.

Euro windfallA BUNDLE of 2,000 eurosdiscovered at SouthamptonAirport has been donated to aHampshire charity.

An appeal was launchedafter the roll of four 500 euronotes was found on the floorof the terminal.

But in three months nobodycame forward to claim thecash and now it has beendonated to Sophie’s Appeal,which supports sick childrenand their families during care.

Housing cashMILLIONS of pounds havebeen handed to Hampshire’sleaders to tackle the county’s“affordable housing crisis”.

Housing Minister GrantShapps yesterday confirmedthat £12.2m would be handedto Solent Local EnterprisePartnership, which covers theSouthampton and Portsmouthareas.

Mosque meetCOUNCILLORS are to holdregular surgeries at aSouthampton mosque.

Southampton’s LabourParty is organising the eventsat Abu Bakr Mosque inArgyle Road, to meetconstituents. The first will beannounced shortly.