Mansfield gets its first Nando's'

Craig Moody, pictured with his son Henry, cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Nando's restaurant on the Park Lane Leisure Park on Wednesday, also pictured are from left, the Stag's Connor Green, manager, Nicole Gardiner-Crehan, Barcy and Sammy, mascots for Nando's and the Stags and Danny Fletcher.

The town’s first branch of the famous chicken restaurant chain officially opened at Park lane Leisure Park on Wednesday.

Andy Cook regional managing director said: “We can’t wait to open the doors to our new restaurant at Park Lane Leisure Park.

“As the first Nandos in the area we’re looking forward to treating locals to the taste of our legendary flame-grilled Peri Peri chicken.”

“We have been waiting for this development for three years. We knew this was a great place and the people I have met in Mansfield have been very supportive.

“We have a huge following on social media and everyone is getting behind us.”

Cutting the ribbon at the The 3,500 sq ft restaurant were Stags players Danny Fletcher and Connor Green, alongside Nando’s ‘Superfan’ Craig Moody, 33 of Mansfield Woodhouse and his 18 months old son Henry.

Craig, who won a catchphrase competition organised by the firm said: “I’m so excited about Nando’s opening in Mansfield. Up to now my girlfriend and I have ahd to go to Nottingham, Chesterfield or Sheffield to eat at Nando’s. Now it’s opened here we can go every week. What’s not to like about spicy chicken?”

Manager Nicole Gerdiner-Crehan told Chad: “We are very pleased to be here in Mansfield, it has been a really exciting build up to it.

“We have created 50 new jobs and for some of our team we have used the Shaw Trust helping to get people back into work.

“The people we recruit in our team all share our values of pride integrity and compassion and we are very proud of the way we try and help communities.”

Nando’s is donating money raised during a recent ‘dry run’ to local homeless charities.

And the restaurant is also planning to donate surplus food not sold to charities in a ‘No Chucking Your Chicken’ initiative.

The restaurant is strikingly fitted out with unique lighting and solid wood furniture, with artwork by African artists. An hexagonal lattice arrangement on the ceiling alone is composed of 18,000 pieces of wood. Nando’s will be last in a trio of new restaurants to open its doors at the park in a matter of months, following Bella Italia and Chquito.