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The Cat’s Pyjamas opens city centre takeaway as owners vow to fight on

Yorkshire restaurant chain, The Cat’s Pyjamas, is opening a takeaway on New Briggate despite the financial challenges of last year.

The Indian street food and craft beer brand open its new takeaway serving Indian inspired breakfasts, wraps and takeaway curries on Friday 1 February.

To celebrate, on launch day from 4.30pm, the takeaway will be giving away free food (until it runs out!) to showcase offerings.

The restaurant was saved from administration in autumn last year as the owner, Alison White, vowed to fight on to save the jobs of all her workers and pay outstanding debts to other local businesses.

A financial rescue package from members of Alison White’s own family enabled the chain to continue trading, and all 100 jobs were saved.

Leeds-based Scottish entrepreneur, Alison White, who had a baby 7 months ago, said: ‘Morally, I need to pay everybody back. I’ve worked in hospitality for nearly 20 years and building restaurants since 2014. Yorkshire is my home and I want to put this right.

‘I feel a duty of care towards our employees and we have lots of suppliers who are local family-owned businesses who rely on the income to support their own families so it’s only right that we pay off those debts.

‘I went back to work five days after giving birth and I’m working every single day of every single week. My fiancé, Paul, who owns I am Doner, looked after Elsie for the first three months of her life so I could continue working to keep the restaurant doors open.

‘As a result, the Eastgate, Headingley, Harrogate and York restaurants are still very much open for business and we’re thrilled to still be welcoming customers through the doors.

’We had to take the decision to close the Sheffield site simply due to location. Travelling so much with a tiny baby proved too difficult for me. However, we tried our best to secure new jobs for all the staff and tried to help all customers find tables elsewhere.

‘Now we’re opening the takeaway closer to home which, as the manager, I can give my full attention.

‘I’m really looking forward to welcoming old and new customers alike to taste new food such as our ‘Mumbai Fry’ breakfast and our new Indian kebabs.’

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by The Cat's Pyjamas .