D&D LONDON has announced that four restaurant venues in Leeds will re-open on July 4, pending the lifting of government restrictions.

A total of 17 restaurants in London, Manchester and Leeds, form the first phase of re-opening of the full D&D London portfolio.

The other of its UK restaurants, as well as D&D’s restaurants in New York and Paris, will re-open through August and September.

CEO and Co-Founder Des Gunewardena, confirmed that all restaurants will fully adhere to government safety guidelines. These include the adjustment of restaurant layouts to allow for physical distancing; enhanced cleaning regimes; hand sanitising facilities and electronic menu and contactless payment.

Staff safety will also be a priority with daily wellness checks for all employees and PPE for front-of-house staff to wear whilst serving guests.

Des said: “It’s been a tough few months since we had to close our restaurants back in March. We’ve kept ourselves busy in lockdown with our various volunteering initiatives for the NHS. We’ve also been busy remodelling our venues to comply with the requirements of the new world we find ourselves in.

"We have no illusions about how challenging it’s going to be, but we are also excited about finally reopening. D&D’s restaurants are known not just for the food and service but also for design and atmosphere. This will not have changed when we welcome back our first customers.

"Yes, some of the restaurants will look slightly different and service will need to comply with safety guidelines, but we will do our best to give our customers a fun and relaxed experience. Many of the restaurants we are opening in the first phase have outdoor terraces so we are also praying for the glorious lockdown weather we’ve enjoyed so far, to continue long into summer."

The D&D restaurants in Leeds opening on July 4 are, Crafthouse, Angelica, East 59th and Issho.