A booming Bradford chain of Indian restaurants is setting its sights on the capital after revealing it is to open a prestigious branch in Leeds city centre.

Nawaab, which is based in Manor Row, Bradford, has snapped-up a location close to the Queen's Hotel in Wellington Street, Leeds, where it will open a 150-seat restaurant in the

summer.

And if the venture proves a success it could be followed by another branch in London.

After a 20-month search for suitable accommodation, Nawaab will become the first large Indian restaurant in the Leeds business quarter.

Today director Mohammed Ejaz admitted that it would be tough to compete with the host of eateries already established in the city. But he is confident the firm can repeat the success of its ventures in Manchester, Stockport, Huddersfield and Spain.

The group now employs more than 100 staff in the UK and this will grow by about 25 with the Leeds opening.

Mr Ejaz said: "This is a big step for us. We have been researching the market for a suitable place for a long time.

But, until now, nowhere has been suitable that fits with our image. This is a Grade II listed building and will be in the middle of the main quarter of the city."

He said the architecture of the building, the old Wesley Hotel, fitted with the historic surroundings of Nawaab's restaurants in Bradford and Huddersfield, also Grade II

listed.

"We have been in Bradford for so long that a lot of people in Leeds know about us already. We get a lot of people travelling to us from Leeds, so this move makes a lot of sense,"

he said.

Mr Ejaz said the firm was already in negotiations over prime sites in London. Nawaab has been keen to have a presence in the capital after hitting the national tabloid press in 1996 when former cricketer Imran Khan ordered a curry from the restaurant for a charity dinner attended by Princess Diana at the Dorchester hotel.

The Nawaab's latest restaurant - a sumptuous 1,000-seat wedding hall-style venue - recently opened in Manchester, brought the number in the chain to 11.

The £7.5 million-turnover business has also opened its own Halal butcher's shop in Keighley Hall, Frizinghall.