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james73

Derelict hotel set to be the biggest curry house in Glasgow (Evening Times)

THE biggest curry house in Glasgow is set to open on the site of a derelict
hotel.

Entrepreneur Archie Sharif will launch the mammoth Indian restaurant as
part of a £9million redevelopment of the landmark Kelvin Park Lorne
Hotel.

The 39-year-old, who also owns Modern Indian on West Regent Street,
bought the hotel in March last year and planned to finish the development
by the end of 2007.

But he decided to turn the A-listed building into a four-star boutique hotel
while pursuing his dream of building the city's - and possibly even
Scotland's - biggest Indian restaurant.

The curry house, which opens in October, brings to an end years of
uncertainty over the future of the hotel which closed seven years ago.

Archie said: "Part of the hold up of the development was getting the
interior design right.

"Originally the plan was to refurbish the hotel to a three-star standard but
we decided instead to aim for four stars, which has led to the delay."

"The restaurant is in the extension to the building and we have spent a
fortune on buying reclaimed stone that will carry the look of the original
building.

"I think we are building Scotland's biggest curry house.

"We will have up to 300 covers in a completely new restaurant."

Originally plans were lodged by an English firm to turn the site into a
hostel for asylum seekers. But permission for a change of use was turned
down after protests from residents.

Then in 2003 developers wanted to turn the site into flats but that plan
was also dropped and the hotel has lain empty for years. The Lorne
revamp will be a boost for the Kelvingrove part of Sauchiehall Street - an
area caught between the city centre and the West End.

In recent months a number of new venues have opened nearby including
fish restaurant Blas and Big Slope, formerly Cafe Organic.

James H
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