GHOSTS MOST UNWELCOME AT SUM ENCHANTED EVENINGS

BY ROBIN JOHNSON
RJOHNSON@DERBYTELEGRAPH.CO.UK

The owners of a Chinese restaurant which is set to open at Derby's former Grand Theatre have already turned away a couple of unwelcome guests.

The theatre, in Babington Lane, is reputed to be haunted by two ghosts - so, as well as carrying out refurbishment work, the owners brought in a medium to cleanse the building of any evil spirits.

Before May Sum took over the building to create a 250-seat buffet restaurant, it was owned by London investment company Tempophase, which used the premises as McCluskey's nightclub.

The former theatre was built to designs by Birmingham architect Oliver Essex and opened in March 1886.

Six weeks later, it was badly damaged by a fire which claimed the lives of actor John Adams and carpenter James Locksley.

The building is rumoured to be haunted by their ghosts.

Danny Doctzan, director of May Sum, said that he had taken measures to ensure that there were no unwelcome guests when the restaurant opens on Thursday, July 19.

"I read about the history of the building in the Evening Telegraph and decided to get a family friend, who's a medium, into the building to cleanse the premises," he said.

"She said the atmosphere in the building felt unsettled. She lit candles and placed them in certain areas and stayed overnight. Everything should be fine now.

"We've also bought a couple of dragon statues to place at the door to ward off any evil spirits - just in case."

Meanwhile, work to convert the building is progressing well and diners will be able to help themselves to a range of cuisine, eating as much as they want for a set price.

The building was bought by May Sum last year and, in December, was given permission by Derby City Council to be turned into a restaurant.

Since then, the company has invested £300,000 refitting the premises.

The restaurant, which will employ 25 people, will be the third - and the largest - in the May Sum chain.

It opened its first restaurant in Liverpool in 2002 and, two years later, opened a second venue in Hull.

"We're very excited about opening in Derby," said Mr Doctzan. "Derby's a place I'd been looking at for a number of years in terms of opening a restaurant.

"We wanted a presence in the Midlands and Derby seemed like the perfect place - particularly considering the amount of investment that's being made in the city.

"I believe there's nothing like our restaurant in the city at the moment and I'm confident that the public will like what we've done here.

"The great thing about how the restaurant works is that because it's a buffet, people can pick and choose what they want and they'll be more inclined to try something different."