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A new pizza restaurant will open in Worthing, it has been confirmed today (Thursday, May 4).

Reports last month suggested that local food company, Perch, would be opening a new pizza restaurant to replace Bayside Social.

Confirming the news, Perch managing director Alex Coombes said: “It’s now completed, as of this morning. We will be taking it on from this afternoon but it will be closed for a short period of time due to some renovation and restyling works. We will also get some team training in place.

"We will reopen in about four weeks time as Perch Pizza. We will do breakfast, lunch and dinner there. The breakfast isn’t going to be pizza but it will be something reflective of the site and the location. We will offer modern, English-style breakfasts.

The outside seating area of Bayside Social has a stunning view of Worthing beach

"There will be a simple pizza menu and we hope to bring in delivery, at some point. We will employ 30 to 40 staff members there during the summer.”

The restaurant will replace Kenny Tutt’s Bayside Social, which closed last month. The 2018 winner of MasterChef closed his second Worthing restaurant after less than two years. A Facebook post cited ‘rising costs and the long-lasting effects of COVID’ as the reasons behind the decision.

Its replacement, Perch – founded in 2015 – currently has three venues, on Worthing Pier and Lancing seafront as well as in Eastbourne.

“We are mega excited about being open for the summer,” Alex said. “It’s a great location. We really like the town of Worthing.

Perch directors Hannah Castle, Ella Debaes, Viktoria Davis and Alex Coombes

"We are seaside café specialists. It’s nice to try a new offer for us.

"Even though we sold hundreds and thousands of pizzas from our site in Lancing, it’s nice to have a fully dedicated site. We have been researching and expanding our pizza operation over the last couple of months. We’ve been travelling around to find out what we want to do and how we want to serve.

“We’ve got equipment coming from amazing manufacturers and suppliers from around the world to give a great offer there. We are really pushing to do something that is great value for money that is much more family-friendly.”

Alex said he wants the restaurant to be an ‘every-day neighbourhood pizza restaurant that is accessible’,

Perch On The Pier owner Alex Coombes is offering an exclusive space on Worthing Pier

He added: “We will eventually offer take-aways on the beach and you can visit us inside seven days a week, throughout the year.

"We will have a meeting with the residents committee at Bayside to talk about what we want to do and how we want to be supportive of the community.

“We have worked hard to get people on our side. We are trying to deliver a really good experience for everybody. It’s different to what’s been there in the past.”

New pizza restaurant confirmed for Worthing seafront location

He added: “We will eventually offer take-aways on the beach and you can visit us inside seven days a week, throughout the year.

"We will have a meeting with the residents committee at Bayside to talk about what we want to do and how we want to be supportive of the community.

“We have worked hard to get people on our side. We are trying to deliver a really good experience for everybody. It’s different to what’s been there in the past.”