A FAMILY which has run a popular Indian restaurant for 17 years will “step away” from the project leaving others in charge.

Geeta and Subhash who own the Spice Valley restaurants in Horwich and Noble House are turning their focus to the upcoming plans for the former Bow Street Car park.

Spice Valley Horwich will continue to offer its customers authentic Indian food and service but will be operated and managed by long-standing managers Sanjeev Muttra and Bhooshan Bisnauthsing.

The restaurant situated in the Noble House Spinners Hall building, Saint George’s Road, which the family has owned for more than 25 years, will now be the home of new Italian eatery, Portofino’s, expected to open towards the end of the month.

Mr Kotecha said stepping away from the business was a “tough decision” but other projects needed the attention.

He explained: “It’s very emotional, especially at the Noble House location where we have been connected for a long time.

“It’s a sentimental place and we have a lot of memories here because we started here as a Chinese restaurant 30 years ago."

His wife Geeta added: “It was a difficult decision but we feel that we are at that stage of our careers where we need to focus on the other project to make it happen."

The town centre Spice Valley was used to host the Bolton Professionals Curry Club for a number of years. The Curry Club has now moved to Spice Valley in Horwich.

The Kotechas are now set to focus on their plans for a new multi-million pound development on the site of the former Bow Street Car Park.

They have recently confirmed that an international hotel chain is interested in opening in the building, as well as a variety of small independent traders, a food court and a business which teaches very young children to swim.

The development will be named Mill Yard and has attracted major Developer Wright Investments, a construction and property development company based in Doncaster.