Busaba to open first restaurant in Wales

Thai restaurant group Busaba is making a fresh bid to expand outside London after securing its first site in Wales.

The brand has signed a 15-year lease on a 4,000 sq ft venue in Cardiff’s Brewery Quarter food and leisure scheme (pictured), which it will open on 21 October.

Busaba managing director Terry Harrison said: “We specifically chose Cardiff for our first new opening since the pandemic began, as we see it as not only a fantastic, lively and fast-growing city, but also a place brimming with discerning diners, who we can’t wait to introduce the Busaba brand to.”

Busaba was founded by Alan Yau, the restaurateur behind the Wagamama and Hakkasan groups, in London in 1999.

It began expanding outside London in 2016, opening sites in Liverpool, Manchester, St Albans, and a location under franchise in Dubai, but they all closed within three years.

The group was acquired by private equity firm Tnui Capital in 2020 and underwent a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) last September when it had 13 London locations, of which nine are still trading.

EJ Hales acted as the letting agent for Orchard Street Investment Management and AG&G acted for Busaba.