Popular Italian restaurant Giancarlo’s will reopen to the public tomorrow (September 7) after being closed for almost five months due to safety concerns.

The restaurant in Tranent closed its doors in April after a safety inspection found that its building may be sinking into the ground as a result of former mineworks in the area.

Now, after five months of work, the restaurant is ready to reopen on September 7 with all the necessary repairs complete ahead of opening.

In a post of Facebook, they wrote: "We thought we would give you all an update. After a few long months, we are almost ready to re-open. We have been working around the clock to get things in order.”

Since planning to re-open the restaurant has been looking to hire new staff, including kitchen porters and bar staff, to help run the premises when it opens.

However, they have been unsuccessful in getting enough new staff in. In the same post on Facebook the restaurant said that they would not allow this to stop them re-opening.

They said: "We are not wanting to delay or disappoint our fantastic customers any longer and have decided that there comes a time when you have to diversify in order to push forward.

“We are planning on reducing our menu and will be offering deliveries and collections only until we have fully recruited.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, and we hope you understand and can support us in our decision”

The restaurant will be open for deliveries and collections from Wednesday with details on the reduced menu still to be announced.

Kenny McLeod, councillor for Tranent , Wallyford & Macmerry, said: “I’m delighted Giancarlo’s is opening up again.
“The restaurant is at the heart of the Tranent area and has become a catch up place almost for the people here.

“I know the owner well and I’m delighted for him and his family that the place is opening up again, they’ve been really missed.

“It’s a beautiful restaurant and there’s not that many of them left in Tranent, I’m just really glad to see them back.”

Giancarlo’s made the decision to close back in April after concerns of part of the building sinking brought about a public safety concern.

But the council have reassured residents that there is no cause for concern as the restaurant prepares to reopen.

A council spokesperson said: “Earlier this year the Council were made aware of issues to the rear of a number of properties at the eastern end of Tranent High Street that appeared to be affected to some degree by ground movement possibly as a result of former mining within the area.

 

“The Coal Authority was contacted and advised of the concern and have carried out structural assessments on site. 

 

“The council is assured that appropriate works are being planned to resolve this matter in the near future.”