Welsh rugby internationals to become restaurateurs

Welsh rugby internationals Dwayne Peel and Stephen Jones are hoping to break away from the pack and become successful restaurateurs.

The Llanelli Scarlets pair have joined a team of developers, including restaurateur and food critic Simon Wright, who are planning to convert a historic building in Llanelli into a 120-cover eaterie.

The developers have formed a new company, Bendigo 9-10, which has been selected by the Llanelli Waterside joint venture partnership as the preferred developer to renovate and run the Pumphouse, which overlooks Llanelli's North Dock.

It is part of the £250m redevelopment of the town's waterside, which is spearheaded by the Welsh Assembly Government and Carmarthenshire County Council.

Bendigo 9-10, which also includes Robert Williams, chairman of construction firm WRW Group, will also develop a Welsh Chef Academy in partnership with further education provider Coleg Sir Gar

Wright, a partner in the award- winning Y Polyn restaurant at Nantgaredig, told the Western Mail: "We aim to offer top quality food with the strongest emphasis on the best Welsh produce and we hope to couple that with a facility to help develop a future generation of great Welsh chefs."

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By Daniel Thomas

E-mail your comments to [Daniel Thomas](daniel.thomas@rbi.co.uk?subject=Rugby stars to open restaurant) here.

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