A new restaurant has opened its doors at Weymouth harbourside this weekend.

The restaurant, named The Loft, replaces The Stable pizza restaurant on Custom House Quay, which closed down at the beginning of this year.

It has started with a takeaway and delivery service this weekend before opening fully once lockdown restrictions have lifted.

The Loft's owner, Steve Philpot, also owns The Boat That Rocks, Portland, and has wanted to open up a second restaurant for some time.

He said: "I always liked The Stable restaurants and when the Weymouth one closed I wanted to get it immediately.

"I'm going to keep it similar to how it was but with a bigger, better menu and drinks selection and we are going to be just a little bit odd. We are going to sell stuff that no one else in town is selling.

"The core product is going to be pizza, ciders and beer but we will add other things and have weekly changing hot specials.

"We want to have big sharing pizzas for families, a lot more starters and a lot less salads."

Dorset Echo:

Mr Philpot has been determined to get the restaurant up and running since it first became available in January. The coronavirus imposed lockdown has not phased him.

He said: "The plan was always to get the site at any cost. It was obvious what was coming with regards to the lockdown but I wanted it anyway.

"I thought about keeping it closed and mothballing the restaurant until we were allowed to open properly but I thought that would be short-sighted when we can do takeaways and deliveries which will get the word out there so when we are able to open it won't be like opening the door to a brand new business.

"We are going to start doing takeaway and delivery this weekend and we will trade Thursday - Sunday after that.

"We would love to be able to trade properly in the summer so hopefully we can do that.

"We want to have live music and Sunday afternoons will have acoustic sessions every week. We will also put a a new bar in upstairs so anyone can hire the function room and be fully self-contained for parties."

The Loft already has two chefs, a manager and an assistant manager but is looking for another pizza chef and some waiting staff. Mr Philpot says he is happy to talk to anyone from the industry that has been left unemployed by the lockdown.

Mr Philpot added: "I would love for this restaurant to turn into a chain. The concept we've come up with I think would work and I'm looking around for some other waterside locations already."