First look inside Sunderland's stunning new Rumour Has It restaurant, with its Great Gatsby vibes and bubblegun cocktails

Rumour Has It is the latest new independent restaurant to join the city centre – and here’s a first look inside ahead of opening night.

Sunderland business owners Lynsey and Dave Foster have made a major investment in the former function room at their popular The Terrace bar in Green Terrace to transform it into a restaurant that’s aimed at bringing something different to the city centre.

Opening to the public from Friday, March 24, it offers a range of oysters, quality steaks, sharing boards, mains such as tandoori spiced lamb, afternoon teas and more.

Signature drinks will include bubblegun cocktails which burst into a plume of smoke, Champagnes, wines and a range of beers at the well-stocked bar with draught options including Madri, Guinness and Staropramen.

The husband and wife team have teamed up with city butcher John Stirk for the food offering, which will be available seven days a week, with a bar menu available upstairs, which will still operate as The Terrace.

Lynsey says with all the investments happening in Sunderland they’ve seen a rise in footfall and felt the time was right to expand their offering.

"We ran the function room downstairs for the past six years and it’s done well, but we decided the time was right for a change,” said the businesswoman,

“We’ve known John for years and approached him about running the food offering.”

John said: “I’ve never done anything in the city centre before, but it’s really on the up. There’s people doing some great things like Barry Hyde and the team at The Peacock and I felt the time was right.

"There’s nothing like this in the city centre. Lynsey and Dave have done an amazing job with the restaurant and there’s definitely a market for something like this, for modern British cuisine.”

The Terrace is already one of the city centre’s most-popular venues and Lynsey says it’s great to see more and more people coming out in Sunderland and boosting the nighttime economy.

"Green Terrace has a great stretch of businesses like Life of Riley next door and Trilogy over the road. What’s great about Sunderland city centre is that so many of its restaurants are independents, and it’s great to see more and more opening. The more, the better,” said Lynsey.

Rumour Has It has 85 covers and has created 15 new jobs for the city, in addition to the 13 already employed upstairs.

It will be open Mondays to Sundays from 12pm until 9pm and will be offering three course lunches for £20 as well as Sunday lunches.

The menu offering will be adapting and expanding as the weeks go on, with additions including afternoon teas.

Plush private booths have been installed for those wanting to dine in style with their friends.

Menu choices include options such as starters of seafood pancake with chive and champagne sauce (£8) and black pudding scotch egg with homemade brown sauce and crispy onions (£7).

Mains include options such as a seafood sharing board (£35), rib eye steak (£25) and posh fish and chips with duck fat chips, Double Maxim batter, tartar and pea purée (£15).