Restaurant plan for 'Great Pyramid' given go ahead

The Royal Nawaab chain said the move will bring a boost to the local economy

A landmark dubbed "The Great Pyramid of Stockport" will be turned into huge curry house after planners gave the idea the go-ahead.

UK restaurant group Royal Nawaab has been given the green light to turn the glass-fronted former Co-operative Bank building into an Indian restaurant big enough to feed up to 1,500 diners at once.

The steel-framed pyramid, which is visible from the M60, was built on the edge of the town centre in 1992 and was occupied by the bank until 2017.

A Royal Nawaab spokesman said customers could look forward to "a level of luxury and uniqueness never before witnessed".

The restaurant chain has promised diners a 'lavish' banqueting experience

The ground floor will become a 360-seat buffet restaurant with a "lavish" banquet hall.

Up to 680 people could be served on the first floor, Stockport Council planners were told.

Smaller restaurant rooms, an office, and storages spaces are planned for the floors above.

The Royal Nawaab group, which runs 11 restaurants in the UK and Europe, said it expected to create about 100 full-time jobs and about the same number of part-time roles.

Under the one plans one floor will cater to 680 patrons

Mahboob Hussain, founder of the Royal Nawaab said the chain was "thrilled" to bring its brand to an "iconic symbol of Stockport".

"This is definitely not ‘a curry house’, "he said, adding the restaurant would attract visits from across the UK.

"It is a dream come true, and I know that anyone that visits will be in awe.”

Meanwhile Stockport councillor Colin Macalister said the pyramid revamp was a "strong vote of confidence in Stockport's future".

A restaurant chain aims to give the Stockport landmark a new lease of life

Earlier this year, the pyramid inspired a single called The Great Pyramid of Stockport by Manchester spoken word musician Antony Szmierek.

A number of other pyramids were originally planned for the area, which has come to be know as Kings Valley, a nod to the modern structure's ancient Egyptian architectural heritage.

Stockport Council planning committee member Mark Jones described the pyramid as "one of the most iconic buildings in Stockport".