THE owners of a new Indian restaurant which opened at The Waterfront the day before the latest lockdown came into force are looking forward to the day they can welcome sit down diners.

New family-run eatery The Indian Tavern Bar & Grill opened on November 4 just hours before England was plunged into a second coronavirus lockdown.

The restaurant, which joins popular independent businesses The Garrison ‘Peaky Blinders’ themed bar, Dr Eamers Gin Distillery and Ten Steps Coffee Lounge at intu Merry Hill's The Waterfront complex, has been offering a takeaway and delivery service of Indian street food.

But childhood friends Harmohan Sood and Gurjit Bains, who run the business with their families, are keeping their fingers crossed that they will be able to open their restaurant doors soon to showcase their extensive menu.

Harmohan Sood, CEO of The Indian Tavern, said: "Although this is not the opening we had planned for, years of hard work and passion have gone into this, so we couldn’t wait any longer to share the high quality, authentic Indian dining experience we’ve created.

“We’ve got lots of exciting dishes that pair perfectly with our Indian-inspired beverages, all available for collection or delivery.

“The safety of diners is our highest priority; we’ve installed hand sanitiser stations and carry out regular deep cleans throughout our premises, alongside many other safety measures including a track and trace system.”

He added: “We can’t think of a better location to open our first restaurant than at intu Merry Hill’s Waterfront development and look forward to welcoming guests to our restaurant once the current restrictions have been lifted."

Rachael Jackson, general manager at intu Merry Hill, said of the new venture: “We love bringing different cultures and cuisines to intu Merry Hill and look forward to seeing Indian Tavern welcome customers to the restaurant, when of course it is safe to do so.

“For now, and in line with the latest Government guidelines, Indian Tavern’s delivery and takeaway services will give foodies the opportunity to discover one of the most authentic tastes of Indian cuisine."

The Indian Tavern offers collection or delivery (within a three-mile radius) between midday and 10pm, seven days a week.