A POPULAR Chinese restaurant has announced plans to open in Durham and Sunderland.
Lau's Buffet King is one of the region's busiest eating places, attracting more than 5,000 customers a week to its premises in Stowell Street in the heart of Newcastle's China Town.
It plans to open in Durham in mid-June, and in Sunderland in the autumn.
The Durham restaurant will be in the North Road premises that used to be occupied by Durham Pine.
It is the latest in a string of eating houses to open in the city centre.
It will feature a gourmet restaurant, with seating for 250 diners, and a takeaway.
The Wearside restaurant will be at the site of the former Vestry Club in the centre of Sunderland, and will have seating for 300 customers.
The firm plans to begin recruiting staff later this summer. It also has plans to expand with new branches at South Shields, Sheffield and Leeds.
General manager Tom Hall said: "Lau's has made a massive impact since it opened in Newcastle.
"And we see no reason why we should not repeat this success in other parts of the region.
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