A restaurateur from New York and a French chef are hoping to bring a taste of Brittany to the Isle of Wight as they look to reopen a once popular seaside eatery.
Hema Lalchan and husband Alexandre Bourgeois are preparing to take over The Bandstand, Sandown.
The couple, who recently moved to the Island with their family, came across the Bandstand and, recognising how "special" it is, they decided bring it back to life as a restaurant.
They are renaming the business Le Goût de la Mer, which translates to The Taste of the Sea, and are leasing the building, on Culver Parade, from owner Paul Rowling.
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Helen said: "It feels less like taking over a building and more like being given the honour of continuing something that means a lot to the town.
"Our hope is to bring it back to life with warmth, good food, and a welcoming atmosphere where people can gather, celebrate, and make new memories."
Alex, a chef trained in classical French cuisine, is originally from St Malo in Brittany, France, while Helen, is originally from New York and previously owned a restaurant centred around Caribbean flavours.
Together, they say they hope to bring the flavours and spirit of Brittany to Sandown, "with a touch of our own story and experience in hospitality."
They said: "We look forward to opening the doors again and welcoming the Isle of Wight community to Le Goût de la Mer at the Bandstand."
It is hoped the restaurant will open in a couple of weeks, although this is subject to change.
Until last year, The Bandstand was under the management of the team behind Off the Rails in Yarmouth.
It suddenly closed last year, leaving Paul at a loss.
Paul and his late wife, Donna, rescued the 100-year-old bandstand building back in 2014 after it had stood derelict for decades, having formerly been a cafe in the 1970s.
The pair breathed new life into the venue and it opened as The Bandstand in 2015.
After seven successful years they decided it was time to move on.
The business closed its doors under their stewardship in March of 2023.
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