The continued expansion of Bradford-based Asian food empires will be given a further boost by the opening next month of a new 300-seater restaurant in the West Midlands.

Akbars, one of Yorkshire’s highest-profile Indian restaurant chains, is due to open its latest venture on September 24 in Hagley Road, Edgbaston, near Birmingham.

The restaurant will also have a private function suite catering for up to 200 people.

And the firm is looking to expand further next year with a restaurant planned for Newcastle city centre in January.

The move into Birmingham is the latest development by the award-winning company which was established in 1995 in Bradford.

Akbars now has restaurants throughout the North of England including Leeds, Manchester, York, Sheffield and Middlesbrough.

The restaurant chain was named Business of the Year for the second year in succession at the 2009 Asian Business Development Network Awards.

Akbars sought commercial property and licensing advice from Bradford law firm Gordons to enable it to open its ninth restaurant.

Gordons’ commercial property solicitor Simon Mydlowski and regulatory solicitor Satpal Roth advised Akbar’s managing director Shabir Hussain on the restaurant’s lease and licensing agreements.

Mr Hussain said: “Our expansion into Birmingham is an exciting one. It already has an excellent reputation for Asian cuisine so we are looking forward to offering our particular style of food and service within such a vibrant city restaurant scene.

“We have worked with Simon and the team at Gordons for the last five years and they have played an important advisory role in our continued growth.”

Gordons is assisting Akbars on securing the lease for the proposed Newcastle venture.

Simon Mydlowski said: “The continued expansion of Akbars is testimony to the vision and dedication of Shabir and his team. They seek to deliver excellence in everything that they do and this single-minded focus has meant they have continued to expand at pace while ensuring the continued stability of the business.

“We are certain that the new Birmingham restaurant will be a resounding success and we look forward to working with Akbars to enable the company’s ongoing development.”

The growth of Akbars reflects the continuing success of several Bradford-based Asian food chains, including Shipley-based Aagrah which opened the £4m Midpoint Suite and restaurant at Thornbury earlier this year and a new Leeds café bar in 2008.

Meanwhile, Zouk Tea Bar and Grill is looking to knock through to a former pub next door to its Leeds Road base.

The company, which recently opened a Manchester restaurant, is also considering ventures in London’s West End and in Milan.