A NEW business has opened its doors in Bradford, with an unrivalled view and location, according to owner entrepreneur Zulfi Hussain.

Dr Hussain has turned the empty pavilion in City Park - which fronts on to the mirror pool - into a cafe, called The Pavilion.

The Council-owned building is described by the authority as having “one of the best city-centre outlooks in the country”.

The grass-roofed building houses the underground plant from where the mirror pool's water and lights are controlled - with the water storage tanks underneath. But the right hand part of the building has been largely empty until now.

Dr Hussain said: "This is the best location in the city. It's a room with a view. There was fierce bidding to get the tender and it was down to the strength of our business case and our team."

He added: "We are trying to use as many local suppliers as we can."

An official opening will take place at a later date and the venue will play host to a variety of theme and charity nights.

Planning permission was granted in July and since then Dr Hussain and his team have been working to get the business up and running. While the cafe opened to business for the first time at the weekend, to coincide with the Christmas lights switch-on event in City Park, signs and a new entrance still need to be installed.

Dr Hussain explained how the large floor to ceiling windows fronting on to the mirror pool would be replaced with folding doors that open right back and that this will become the main entrance to the cafe.

As well as seating for 60 to 70 inside, there will also be room for 40 to 50 directly outside.

Dr Hussain, the co-owner of Indian restaurant Deeva in Farsley, will leave the running of the business to his sister Saira Jabeen, who has previously run various Starbucks outlets in London.

The Council had originally planned to find a long-term commercial tenant in 2012, but this was delayed when the pavilion was commandeered for a temporary children’s library.

Once the children’s library moved to a permanent home at the new City Library nearby, the 1,507 sq ft space became empty, and the Council began marketing the site for a five-year lease.