First Look: Inside new £350,000 Turkish restaurant in Blackburn

The Sofra Turkish Cuisine had its official opening on Monday night and takes up the spot of the former Jubilee Pub, opposite the Reel Cinema and King George's Hall in Blakey Moor Terrace.

The 60-seater restaurant is the first establishment to open on the stretch which is presently undergoing a £3.8 million development. The launch has created 10 new jobs in full and part-time roles.

Joining management were councillors and invited guests who got to sample some of the cuisine for the first time.

The menu is made up some traditional Turkish favourites such as Grilled Shish Kebabs and Grilled Kofte as well as a range of fusion dishes.

Chef specials include the Coban Kavurmas, casseroles, sizzlers and the mighty Istanbul Sharing Platter. The restaurant also serves up desserts and hot drinks, including Turkish coffee.

Owner Adnan Moray who has more than two decades experience of running authentic Turkish eateries said the team were looking forward to welcoming customers to the restaurant.

He said: “It is wonderful to be opening in Blackburn and in this great spot opposite King George’s Hall and the Reel Cinemas.

“This is the first traditional and authentic Turkish restaurant in town and we will be offering something completely different to what the town has to offer at the moment.

“We are using quality ingredients in all our foods and we have wide range of dishes on offer.”

Adnan said the team would be more than happy to advise any guests who had not tried Turkish cuisine before.

He said: “There is so much variety in Turkish cuisine. The charcoal grills and casseroles are always popular as are the Turkish pizzas.”

The area in front of King George’s Hall was one of the most vibrant stretches in the area hosting well-known takeaways such as The Godfather.

This was one of 11 properties which was closed due to an a compulsory purchase order in 2018.

Nearby, The Shhh! Bar on the spot of the former Ribblesdale Hotel has undergone a makeover and around the corner a new Dwntwn Pizza and Burger bar is set to open following extensive renovations.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Councillor Phil Riley, who was at the opening, said: “It is a really good addition to what’s on offer in Blackburn.

"It is new and different type of cuisine as is the décor. We wish them all the best.”

Cllr Riley said he hoped the work on adjoining properties would be complete in the coming year.

“We are expecting people to be moving in the next few weeks at The Shhh! Bar nearby. Soon this will be a really good town centre spot.”

The Blakey Moor area is undergoing a £3.8m transformation as part of a Townscape Heritage Project – part funded by Blackburn with Darwen Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund – with work underway to transform the neighbouring Terrace building.

As part of the Townscape Heritage historic buildings in the Northgate Conservation area will also be restored, with work already completed on five.

The Sofra Turkish Cuisine will be open from 11.30am until 10pm weekdays with later openings planned on the weekends.