A RESTAURANT owner is “over the moon” after being granted an alcohol license just ahead of his grand opening.

Snaresbrook’s new Italian restaurant and deli Bombetta will now be able to sell alcohol when it opens in Station Approach on August 10.

Bombetta owners Mario Fernando, Ben Milne and Joana Anastasiou-Milne were grilled about the conditions of their alcohol license by Redbridge Council’s licensing committee on Tuesday (July 26).

But after negotiations with councillors, officers and the police, the restaurateurs were granted permission to sell alcohol between 11am and 10.30pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 11pm at weekends.

Co-owner Mario Fernando said: “We are over the moon with the decision.

“There are a few conditions, but this was our last little obstacle, so now we’re over it, we can’t wait to open and show the community what we have to offer.”

Mr Fernando and his colleagues had originally hoped to open in May, but were faced with frustrating delays.

The new addition to Snaresbrook’s dining scene will be divided up into The Chef’s Deli, which will supply food to restaurant chains such as Bill’s, Strada and Prezzo, and Bombetta, an Italian restaurant concept based on grilled meat from southern Italy.