La Sala

Backed by a host of big names from the world of football, including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Stephen Carr, and buoyed by the huge success of its four Spanish sites, La Sala will be opening its first UK restaurant in the Essex town later this year. The company is aiming to create a complete dining and entertainment experience with a varied menu based on its flagship restaurant in Marbella.

The first La Sala location in the UK will be a prominent site on Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, formerly occupied by the White Hart Inn, with convenient access to London Underground and the M11. The building will be transformed to create a unique La Sala atmosphere in the heart of Essex.

Mr Horler, who made his name building La Tasca restaurants into a nationwide success story, before selling the chain for £135 million in 2007, added: “I’ve already been out to Spain with our design team so that they can embrace the entire La Sala experience and recreate its unique essence here in the UK. We will be looking to roll out a second site within 12 months, with a third to follow, maybe in West London”