Marco Pierre White to open Frankie's Bar and Grill in Exeter

Marco Pierre White is to expand his Frankie's Bar and Grill chain, with the launch of a new site in the West Country, the first outside London.

The celebrity chef, who first launched the Italian brand in Knightsbridge in 2004 together with famous jockey Frankie Detorri, will open the new restaurant at Exeter Airport's Hampton by Hilton Hotel.

Set to launch towards the end of the year, the 85-seat Frankie's Bar and Grill will serve a menu including pizzas, pastas, seafood and steaks. It will be the fourth Frankie's outlet after sites in Knightsbridge, Chiswick and at Stamford Bridge in London.

White commented: "There is a clear appetite for affordable, quality Italian food and that is exactly what I will bring to Exeter. Frankie's Bar and Grill is a dining experience for all the family to gather in relaxed surroundings and enjoy simple food, cooked perfectly."

The 160-bed, Hampton by Hilton Hotel at Exeter International Airport will be owned by Blackstone, and operated by Sanguine Hospitality, which has already opened a number of sites with White, including a Steakhouse Bar and Grill, at the Doubletree by Hilton Chester.

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By Kerstin Kühn

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