Ashby's new Lounge Bar has now been scheduled to open in the new year.

The Market Street venue - which will occupy the former HSBC Bank - had initially hoped to open before Christmas, possibly in November.

But the Bristol-based company has announced opening dates for seven new restaurant-bars, and Ashby's is due in mid-January next year.

Founded in Bristol in 2002, the company opened its 200th restaurant, Verdetto Lounge A major restaurant chain taking over the UK dining industry is set to open seven new locations in high streets across Britain. 

Lounge café bar is set to add to its collection of over 200 restaurants with new additions in England and Wales. 

The former HSBC Bank in Market Street will house the new Lounges Bar. Photo: Ashby Nub News

New Lounge spots are primed to open in Hexham, St Ives, (Cambridgeshire), Paignton, Cramlington, Penrith, Caerphilly and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Founded in Bristol in 2002, the company opened its 200th restaurant, Verdetto Lounge, in Buckingham in September.

Ashby's is due to be named Centivo Bar and is expected to help boost business in the town.

Lounges has released a list of dates for the opening of its next venues. They are:

• Hexham, Northumberland - November 1
• St Ives, Cambridgeshire - November 15
• Paignton, Devon - end of November
• Cramlington, Northumberland - end of November
• Penrith, Cumbria - start of December
• Caerphilly, Wales - end of December
• Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire - mid-January 2024

Mail Online reports that Lounges says that each branch has a different name and appearance, meaning regular customers may be unaware that two locations belong to the same chain.

But the menu is uniform at every outlet, offering a diverse choice of brunch dishes, sandwiches, burgers, salads and tapas boards, as well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes.

Alex Reilley, Chairman and co-founder of Loungers, said: "In mid-September, we celebrated opening our 200th site, Verdetto Lounge in Buckingham and have, since then, welcomed Bordo Lounge in Carlisle and Alfredo Lounge, Louth into the family.

How the new Ashby Lounge Bar is set to look inside. Photo: Lounge Bar Bristol

"We are hugely proud of the positive impact our sites have had on local communities since opening our first Lounge in Bristol 21 years ago, and are determined to continue playing a major role in breathing new life into high streets up and down the country.

"Time and time again we've seen that the opening of a Lounge has a really positive knock-on effect on the businesses around it and, of course, on the local employment market. 

"Last year alone we created around 1,000 new jobs through new site openings and are on course to comfortably exceed that figure this year."