A RESTAURANT which has been in Workington for over 20 years is up for sale for £1.75 million.

And separate plans have been revealed nearby for a 25,295-square feet commercial development including mixed retail, food and hot food takeaway.

Sohrab Padidar-Nazar, owner of Caspian Flame Grill, has put the business up for sale because he wants to retire. The restaurant and take-away, on Derwent Drive, has been at its current location since 1998, but started as a take-away in the town in 1983.

Sohrab, 58, said: “I’ve been doing this for nearly 35 years and I’m ready for a break. You work a lot to make the business so successful, it doesn’t just happen. I definitely want to retire when I’m 60 so I’ve given myself two years to find the right buyer. In the meantime it’s business as usual for Caspian.”

Andrew Streeter, of Port Derwent Properties Ltd in West Sussex, has applied to Allerdale council to build council to build a new outlet on the 1.61-hectare land next to Caspian, off Prince’s Way and Derwent Drive. The plans are not associated with Caspian's sale.

A spokesman for the applicant said the development would complement Workington’s retail and leisure offer for families.

He added: “Despite the general difficult trading conditions being experienced by many retailers across the country, there are opportunities to capture, which have been rolled out elsewhere in the UK. Unfortunately Workington has too often been one of the last to benefit from these newer concepts and these new proposals provide an outstanding chance to secure these concepts, in an established arterial road location, without having any detrimental effect on the town centre.

“This unique location between the coast and the National Park, visited by some four million tourists, will provide further retail and leisure opportunities, to enhance Workington as a shopping and leisure destination.

“The drive thru/drive to market, across the fast food and coffee companies have been expanding rapidly and the project is anticipated to harness this demand to compliment the recently opened KFC, on the neighbouring site.”

It is not known which company would run the facility, if plans were to be given the go-ahead, but discussions with potential operators are taking place.

Plans include a 90-space car park and is expected to create 25 retail jobs.

Allerdale council has launched a consultation into the project and people have time until January 28 to comment.