November opening date planned for Sunderland's Borneo Bistro as owners thank customers for 'amazing support'

More than a year has gone by since a devastating fire tore through the popular Hylton Road eatery and owners Kevin and Remy Smith have been working tirelessly to reopen ever since.

It hasn’t been any easy journey, and having hoped to be back in business by mid-October, the couple have had to push back the grand reopening of the Bistro due to delays with the insurance company.

Thanking the public for their unwavering support, the couple told customers they are hoping to reopen in the first week of November – but a date still hasn’t been set in stone as they await vital equipment.

Posting to their thousands of supporters on social media, Kevin and Remy wrote: “It's now been 58 weeks since the fire and we are almost there.

“I’m so sorry for the delay everyone. We should have opened well before now but we have been held up by our insurance company.

“We are now waiting for the last of our equipment to be delivered as a lot of it has been specially made for us.

“We have been aiming for the end of this month but it's now looking more like the first week of November – but please don't hold me to that as it really is out of our hands at the moment.

“I would like to say again thank you to all of you for your fantastic support. It’s been a long stressful time.

“I would like to also thank Dean Wood and Shaun Thornton from SNS Security for taking care of Borneo’s while we have been closed.

“Don’t worry though your Borneo's will be back soon.Thanks again everyone for all your well wishes and support.”

Inside the restaurant the walls have been decorated by a local artist and a state-of-the-art kitchen is being fitted – which will help the team serve up food, in particular Borneo-favourite crispy chicken, quicker.

Kevin is introducing a brand new à la carte menu and nine new dishes in addition to the original 21.