Exeter Giggling Squid restaurant won't open this year

Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid has delayed the opening of its new Exeter branch. It had been hoped that the new restaurant would open in one of the city's tourist hotspots by the end of the year but it has now been confirmed that this will not be the case.

It has now been a year and a half since Giggling Squid unveiled its plans to open a restaurant overlooking the Cathedral Green. In July, the chain was granted permission to divide up the former Waterstones shop and turn the Cathedral-facing section into a restaurant with outdoor seating.

The site is located next door to the Royal Clarence wreckage, which is still awaiting a rebuild more than eight years after the devastating fire. Prior to the Thai restaurant being approved, a report by Exeter City Council's planning officer said the proposed changes to the premises would "enhance the character and appearance of the building and the surrounding conservation area."

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In May this year, Giggling Squid said that it still did not have an opening date for the new branch, which would be its first ever in Devon. It did say, however, that it was hoping to open by the end of 2024.

While the chain's website says the Exeter restaurant is "opening 2024", it has now confirmed to DevonLive that this is unlikely to be the case. An alternative opening date has not been provided.

Exeter is among five locations listed as "coming soon" on the Giggling Squid website, with others set to open in Knowle near Solihull, Cobham, Godalming and Leeds.

A new planning application for the Cathedral Green premises was submitted at the end of last month, seeking permission for an extension to the rear of the first floor to accommodate the restaurant's kitchen and an extension to the rear of the second floor for 'dumb waiters', lifts installed to carry food between floors.

A document prepared on behalf of Giggling Squid explains that the extensions are needed because the customer areas will be spread across the ground, first and second floors.