Beaconsfield Old Town will welcome Celebrity Chef

Beaconsfield Old Town is to welcome a new resident: Raymond

Blanc OBE, owner of the world renowned Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons restaurant in

Oxfordshire, who intends to open a brasserie on historic shopping street London

End.

This exciting news will bring relief to many local

Beaconsfield residents, who have seen London end in a state of decline and retailers

closing their doors for the last time. This is a much needed and welcomed regeneration of the Old Town.

A number of high-end retailers have committed to

move into the development, including Farrow and Ball and up-market kitchen

store John Lewis of Hungerford with others of a similar standing still in

discussions, agents for the landowners Hall Barn Estates have confirmed.

It has been revealed that Hall Barn Estates plans to

build additional shops as well as a two storey car park for 40 cars behind the

development, which will be on the north side of the street where 5 retail

outlets have been left vacant. The store fronts would be renovated, with

additional new buildings constructed in spaces behind.

Dan Collins, a director of PMCD commercial property

agents acting for Hall Barn, said: "This is the biggest project in the Old

Town for decades. It will be fantastic for the town."

He said an application would be made for planning

permission in the new few weeks once the design of the restaurant, which is to

be located mostly in a new building and to include an outdoor eating area, has

been agreed.

Ian Glyn, a director and founder shareholder of

Brasserie Blanc, of which Mr Blanc is also a director, said: "We would

very much like to be included in the scheme. Raymond has visited the site and

he really likes it." He said the company's tenth Brasserie Blanc would be

"pretty large" and added: "We very much hope it comes to

fruition."

Beaconsfield Old Town Residents Association (BOTRA) has

publicly welcomed this news. Chairman John Brown said: "It is certainly

good news, there's no doubt about it. These are exciting options." However

he reported to Polly Manser at the Bucks Advertiser that he was concerned about

poor communication. When he approached the landlord for information recently

following weeks of speculation in the town, Hall Barn Estates refused to share

any information.

In recent months a number of

businesses have been seen to close in London End, including Matrix Kitchens,

Avery Kitchens and Order Lunch. The latest retailed to close their doors for

the final time was furniture shop Peter Knight, and Hall Barn Estate has now

purchased that building to include in the development.