Gerard Fitzpatrick, the individual who launched Jamie's Italian in Dublin's Dundrum Town Centre in 2012, has announced that he's on the verge of successfully negotiating the opening of a second restaurant in Dublin city centre.
Despite news this week of the group closing a number of venues in the UK, Fitzpatrick expressed his confidence in the future of Jamie Oliver's international brand, calling it "a fantastic business."
Commenting on the search for a site for the proposed second Dublin venue, Fitzpatrick said, "It’s location, location, location. You really need to be in the middle of the strongest footfall possible."
He continued, "Looking for new premises is very difficult. We live in a very small city, and most restaurants want at least 100 seats, which is not easy to come by."
Fitzpatrick also noted that increases in rent make acquiring a site "really tough at the moment."
However, Fitzpatrick is optimistic that a second Dublin restaurant will open within the next six months and hopes that it will be capable of accommodating 60-100 guests.
