A LARGE seafood restaurant run by a local operator is the first business to secure tenancy at the new Strand Hotel redevelopment.

The upmarket restaurant will be situated on the corner of Anzac Parade and Queen Street with an alfresco dining area and seafood shop, Elders Real Estate principal Peter Moss revealed yesterday.

Ahead of leasing of retail space for The Strand, which starts today, Mr Moss said the local businessman had been interested in the development since the beginning and was the first to commit to the $100 million seven-storey hotel and apartment complex, which was approved by council on October 12.

“When you come to the coast, you want to see a seafood restaurant,” Mr Moss said.

A “high-profile” coffee shop was also on the cards.

Mr Moss said he was in discussions with a prominent franchise, whose coffee had an “Italian taste”.

“We have had enormous amount of interest from franchises,” he said.

Strand Hotel partner David Shannon yesterday said the complex would feature a three-storey mall and about 15 tenancies on the ground floor along the beachfront. Suggestions for leasing include a cafe, ice-creamery, newsagency, clothing stores and convenience stores for the ground floor, and a hairdresser, beauty salon, conference centre, dentist and home wares on the first floor.

The hotel will be positioned where the drive-in bottle shop is on Anzac Parade.

THE STRAND

$100 million, seven-storey complex

Demolition to start early next year

Hotel, convention centre, 98 apartments, offices, restaurants and shops

18 months to complete

First stage could be open by Dec 2011

Units $400,000 to $1.5 million