Legal Firm Helps Celebrate Client Expansion

As the Royal Pier in Southampton prepares to reopen its doors at the end of this month and once again become a jewel in the heart of the city’s Town Quay, one of Hampshire’s most successful restaurateurs gives thanks to the legal firm that helped make his dream come true.

Since it was first opened by Queen Victoria in 1833, the Royal Pier has had many incarnations. Having been u sed by steamers to the Isle of Wight, Channel Islands and France, enjoyed by locals for dances, concerts, exhibitions and even roller-skating and survived fires, bombings and numerous structural developments, one of Southampton’s most iconic buildings is now set to embark on the latest chapter of its history as an exotic dining experience.

The project is a culmination of years of planning, months of hard work and a six figure investment from the Kuti Group. With an impressive portfolio of four restaurants across the area, the new ‘Kuti’s Royal Thai Pier’ is the Group’s latest, and arguably greatest project.

‘Since I first saw the building 28 years ago, it has been my dream to have the opportunity to breathe new life into it,’ says Kuti Miah, Director of the Kuti Group. ‘We obtained the lease a year ago and have been working on it ever since.’

The Kuti Group were supported and guided in fulfilling its ambition by Southampton’s largest local legal firm, Eric Robinson Solicitors. ‘Despite being a building of great history and cultural significance, our work to secure the lease and ensure all plans were legally sound was relatively straightforward,’ says Geoffrey Onoufriou, Partner and Head of Eric Robinson’s Commercial Department. ‘We are very excited to see all the preparation and hard work paying off in what promises to be a great asset to the city.’

‘With their combination of professional expertise and local knowledge, Eric Robinson Solicitors were always going to be the best choice for us,’ says Miah. ‘They have been invaluable in the development of the project and given a first class service.’