Aspiring restaurateur sought for high-end, chef-led restaurant opportunity on Worthing Pier, with support from Perch

Perch On The Pier owner Alex Coombes is offering an exclusive space to help the right person with ambition to build their own business in a venue offering unrivalled coastal views.

The Nest is a stand-alone dining space on the first floor at Perch On The Pier, with its own kitchen and bar area and enough space for 35 covers. The vision is for a high-end restaurant offering a luxury experience and it is considered the perfect opportunity for a successful chef looking to start their own business.

Victoria Emerson, PR manager, said: "It sounds too good to be true but there is no catch. It would work best if it was chef-led by someone already in hospitality – they have got to have experience but not run their own business before. It will be a lot of work but they will make it work together."

Alex sees it as a major stepping stone for new restaurateurs to Worthing. Since 2015, Perch has been welcomed and supported throughout the county, in Lancing, Eastbourne and then Worthing, and now the team is looking to pass on some of the goodwill and opportunity it has enjoyed.

Alex said: "This is one of the finest dining spaces and I'm tremendously excited to see the ideas and developments that come from it. We want to support and grow a great idea into another fantastic restaurant in Worthing."

Perch will provide the stunning restaurant space, with its own dining area, kitchen full of brand-new equipment and bar, for 18 months, while the new offering is established. The team will also offer help, support and coaching for the new operator as they face the challenge of expanding into a new location, plus marketing, HR, accounting and operational support, if required. Rent will be set as a percentage based on turnover to keep it manageable as the new venture becomes established.

Potential operators will need to show a clear vision of how their premium offering will work at the Nest. They will have what it takes to create an incredible menu and be able to deliver an exceptional guest experience. Applicants will also need robust projections of their costs and revenue.

The intention is for the Perch team to help the new restaurant get established and build a reputation, and then, in a year or two, assist the new restaurateur to find their own premises in Worthing. Once again, The Nest will then be offered to a next batch of aspiring restauranteurs, with the aim of providing an ongoing stream of exciting new additions to the restaurant scene.

For more information on how to apply, please visit www.perch.team/nest.