A new restaurant, which would create up to 150 new jobs, is due to open in Norwich this summer.

The former Gap clothes shop in London Street and offices behind it on Castle Meadow are to be turned into an Ivy Collection brasserie-style restaurant.

Norwich City Council's planning department last week granted permission for the conversion of the buildings, which are both grade II listed, along with outside seating.

The restaurant, which would be open from 8am until 12.30am seven days a week, would have 147 internal covers, with a further 20 outside covers. There would be 120 to 150 staff.

The bar and restaurant would be on the ground and first floor level, accessed from the front entrance off London Street.

Officers at Norwich City Council, who granted permission, said: 'The proposed restaurant is suitable for a highly accessible city centre location benefiting from the pedestrianised part of London Street which is highly pedestrian friendly, ideal for businesses where most custom arrives on foot.

'The applicant and operator will need to be mindful of access restrictions operating on London Street and Castle Meadow and the high level of pedestrian footfall on these streets.'

Documents lodged with the city council state: 'The Ivy Collection restaurants bring the inimitable service and vibrant surroundings for which The Ivy is loved and revered to a select group of upmarket brasseries and neighbourhood cafes.'

Owned by Troia Restaurants Limited, the restaurants offer 'modern British dishes'.

A spokeswoman for The Ivy Collection said the restaurant was due to open in the summer.

Gap, which used to be based in the London Street building, closed in February.

The new restaurant comes at a time when there have been a number of casualties in the city's culinary scene. Recent closures include the E Street Smokehouse on Exchange Street, and fried chicken restaurant Woolf & Bird, while The Library was relaunched in September after going into liquidation.

And it is not just independent hospitality businesses finding times tough: chains including the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group and burger group Byron struck deals with creditors to close sites and reduce the debts they will pay.