Slim Chickens cooks up Festival Place opening

American fried chicken chain Slim Chickens is set to make its Basingstoke debut after agreeing a deal to open at Festival Place.

The operator has taken 3,503 sq ft on the ground floor, with the restaurant set to open this July.

With space for over 85 diners, the restaurant will deliver Slim Chickens’ casual dining offer, featuring tenders, sandwiches, wings, wraps, salads, sides, and a range of plant-based options.

Slim Chickens will join a number of existing food and beverage operators at Festival Place, such as the recently-upsized restaurant from street food concept Festival Street Kitchen, as well as the newly-opened Mexican-inspired operator El Bigote.

These new entrants join established operators at the centre, including Cosy Club, Wagamama, Pizza Express, and Las Iguanas.

Poppy Radford, asset manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “The signing of Slim Chickens at Festival Place is the latest in a series of exciting announcements on the destination’s evolving F&B line-up. Joining local favourites like Festival Street Kitchen, Slim Chickens brings great balance given its international renown, as we champion a complementary collection of dining brands. This signing is evidence of the Festival Place’s growing significance throughout the region and the UK, and our commitment to creating a distinct experience for our catchment.”

Slim Chickens’ signing at Festival Place follows the recent opening of pan-Asian noodle bar Chopstix at the centre, with the operator having opened a 2,490 sq ft unit at the beginning of the year.

Lunson Mitchenall and GCW represent Festival Place.