Restaurant chain with 200 branches that’s ‘better than Wetherspoons’ opening new sites – see the full list

A RESTAURANT chain that’s been branded “better than Wetherspoons” has revealed locations for its new branches.

Lounge is set to add seven new locations to its portfolio of more than 200 restaurants around the UK over the next few months.

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Founded in Bristol in 2002, Lounge opened its 200th restaurant, Verdetto Lounge, in Buckingham in September last year.

It has continued to grow rapidly, having opened seven branches late last year in places like St Ives, Cambridgeshire and Hexham.

But despite growing to have more outlets than popular brands such as Prezzo and Wagamama, Lounge has kept pretty low key so far.

This is partly because each branch has a different name and appearance, meaning fans may not realise their local is part of a group.

However, those in the know are raving about how much they love it.

In one review on TripAdvisor, a fan said it’s “better than Wetherspoons” with “just the right vibe”.

Earlier this month, it opened Barolo Lounge in Yeovil and now seven more sites are set to open.

Below is the full list of Lounges set to open from tomorrow:

• Piccolo Lounge – Ely – Wednesday April 24
• Vallado Lounge – York – Wednesday May 1
• Viento Lounge – Daventry – Thursday May 9
• Quattro Lounge – Hereford – Wednesday May 15
• Pescado Lounge – Whitby – Wednesday May 30
• Perico Lounge – Ramsgate – Wednesday June 12
• Leo Lounge – Faversham – Wednesday June 26

While each outlet has unique decor and its own name, the menu is the same wherever you go and offers a wide selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes.

The all-day menu includes brunch dishes, sandwiches, burgers, salads and tapas boards, as well as a range of other main courses and desserts.

You can find your nearest Lounge by putting your town or postcode into the “find a Lounge” tool on its website.

Are other retailers looking to expand?

Plenty of retailers have announced plans to open hundreds of stores.

The retail sector has struggled in recent years as shoppers head online to pick up their daily essentials.

That, combined with recent high energy and wage costs, has seen plenty of businesses forced to permanently shut branches.

Some, including major players Wilko and Paperchase, have gone bust, seeing hundreds of stores close and thousands of staff laid off.

But where some chains are facing difficulties, others are expanding their presence on the high street and at retail parks across the UK.

Home Bargains, which was running just under 600 branches as of last June, has said it wants to “eventually have between 800 and 1,000 retail outlets open”.

Tesco has revealed plans to open 70 more stores across the UK over the next year as part of major expansion plans.

One of the UK’s favourite bakery chain’s Greggs has exclusively revealed to The Sun plans to open 50 more outlet branches by the end of 2025.

The UK’s cheapest supermarket Aldi is set to open 35 new stores across the UK over the coming months.

Primark has confirmed plans to open new branches and invest and renovate more than a dozen of its existing shops.

The plans are part of Primark’s new £75million investment in its UK store estate.

Primark recently opened a new shop in Bury St. Edmund and Teesside Park will get a new site on March 22.

Meanwhile, a new shop will also open Glasgow Fort later this year.

M&CO is set to return to the high street in days after collapsing into administration and closing all stores.

It will open a brand new store on May 3 in Newton Mearns, Scotland.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk