THE BEN will have a special interest when the Sunar Gaw Indian restaurant re-opens its doors next month.

The popular Manchester Road eaterie, opposite Burnden Park, was burnt out during a fire in June.

It was the latest in a catalogue of problems Mr Abdul Shahid and his staff faced opposite the bombsite that became Burnden. And they must have despaired at this latest blow.

The pre-fire problems made their achievement as BEN Readers' Restaurant of the Year two years ago all the greater. And Mr Shahid was especially proud of the brass plaque which proclaimed this title, unfortunately also damaged in the fire.

But now he tells me that, not only is the refurbishment work complete, putting the Sunar Gaw back to its former fine condition, but plenty of hard work on the plaque has restored that, too.

"I just put in lots of polishing," explains Mr Shahid, who happily opens the doors once more on Monday, October 2 -- as work on the development site opposite continues to improve the area.