THE UK’s only Chinese takeaway chain has opened a store in Yate.

A traditional Lion dance marked the official opening of the Hotcha shop in Yate Shopping Centre on Saturday (December 14).

Around 200 local businesses were joined by 50 competition winners to celebrate the opening, on North Parade, with an authentic Chinese buffet.

James Liang, founder of South West-based Hotcha, which now has nine stores, said: “The opening of the Yate branch marks the end of an outstanding year for the company.

"I am confident it will be as successful as the others stores have been, and will be a real springboard into a successful and ambitious new year for Hotcha.”

Mr Liang, has invested in excess of £100,000 in the new store, which has created 10 jobs.

Hotcha provides customers with some of the UK’s favourite Chinese dishes, with freshly prepared ingredients from its central kitchen in Ashton Vale, Bristol, and positions itself as the ‘healthy’ alternative to the standard Chinese takeaway meal, with dishes being prepared in view of customers whilst they wait.

Its opening in Yate is an attempt to start an evening economy in the shopping centre and comes as a new Italian restaurant, Bottelinos, is due to open next door in March 2014.