Cazaro Lounge to open next week in Farnham's Brightwells

Brightwells Yard's long-vacant anchor store has finally found an occupant, with a new café-bar set to open in Farnham next week creating around 30 jobs.

Cazaro Lounge, part of the West Country-based Loungers group, will open its doors at Brightwells House on Wednesday, August 12.

The venue will serve a menu featuring brunch, tapas, toasties, salads, burgers, tacos, noodles and fried chicken, alongside vegan and gluten-free options.

The name Cazaro comes from the Spanish word "caza", meaning hunt, which the company says is a nod to Farnham's history as an old deer park and centre of medieval hunting culture.

The former retail unit has been transformed into a café-bar with wooden floors, colourful décor, murals and a mixture of dining tables, sofas and lounge seating.

Evangelos Giouvris, general manager at Cazaro Lounge, said: "We're so excited to finally welcome the community into Cazaro Lounge. The support and enthusiasm from local people has been incredible, and we can't wait to open our doors and become a place where everyone comes together to enjoy great food, great drinks and a brilliant atmosphere."

The venue will run a series of weekly offers, including Tapas Tuesday, with three tapas dishes and a drink for £14.50 from 5pm, and Cheeky Mondays, where any burger, main or salad comes with a complimentary drink or pudding. A Cocktail Club will run daily from 5pm until closing.

Families are also catered for, with games, books and colouring available for younger visitors, alongside highchairs, baby-changing facilities and a dedicated children's menu.

Cazaro is owned by Loungers, which operates through its three brands - Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside - in the UK hospitality sector. It has 276 Lounges nationwide.

The opening marks another milestone for Brightwells Yard, with one of the regeneration scheme's most prominent commercial units finally being brought into use.

The anchor store was originally intended to house an M&S food store, but the retailer pulled out after delays to the regeneration project. Restaurant chain Coppa Club was later announced as the incoming tenant, but those plans also failed to materialise, leaving the unit empty until now.