A new restaurant is rising from the ashes of a derelict pub and will create jobs for local people - thanks to the New Deal for Communities.

The former Piste and Siglu pub in Manchester Road has been bought by restaurateur Shoukat Ali who plans to open a high class Asian diner in November.

And his business is being given a helping hand by the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme which is working to regenerate the Manchester Road corridor area.

One of its main targets is jobs for local people, because the area is one of the district's unemployment blackspots.

And it is piloting its new wage subsidy scheme at the new restaurant.

Mr Ali has agreed to earmark several of the 20 new jobs for people who live within the New Deal zone of Little Horton, Marshfields and West Bowling.

In return their jobs are being subsidised by £5,000, made up of £60 a week towards salary, £880 for training and a £1,000 retention bonus if they are still with the company after 18 months.

Mr Ali said the restaurant, which will have room for 100 diners, will serve Kashmiri cuisine. The building is being completely rebuilt and refitted although an unusual feature of the pub - the glazed dome - is being kept as a private party room available for bookings.

"Any business person knows that starting a new business is full of risks," said Mr Ali. "The NDC wage subsidy enables me to ease the pressure on my cash flow in the early days and give a chance to unemployed local people. Both of these things benefit my business. The NDC team and Bradford Job Centre are helping me with recruitment and advice on training, health and safety and equal opportunities, and I've also received invaluable business start-up advice from the Asian Business Bureau."

Yvonne Hutchinson, chairman of the NDC Job and Business Working Group said: "The opening of the Asian diner is a big boost to the area - over 20 new jobs are being created and the wage subsidy ensures local unemployed people have access to these jobs. This is just the start of what we hope will be a productive partnership with local businesses."

The NDC's wage subsidy scheme and its new business support package will be launched in November. Anyone wanting more information can contact Andy Brennan on (01274) 754680.