A new pizzeria is set to open in a North East city centre following its food stand success.

Pizza restaurant Slice has confirmed they will be opening a new restaurant in Unit 59 at the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland in mid-August this year.

The Union Street shop will be their second branch following a successful first venture in Seaham, as well as a spell in a shipping container outside Vaux Brewery & Taproom serving Sunderland fans on matchdays.

Mark Milroy, 41, from Castle Eden, said he is looking to bring the restaurant's style of 'New York-style' pizzas to the community.

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He said: "It's been a real success in Seaham over the last two years and now we're ready to roll it out into a few different locations.

"It was almost like a pop-up [in Sunderland], it was never long-term, we traded there for about nine months, and it was really busy on the matchdays.

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"We served a lot of people, got the name known and got the name out in Sunderland.

"We served thousands of people over the nine months and built up a regular following from the Vaux.

"We've got a lot of customers coming to Seaham who are from Sunderland and they are absolutely buzzing.

"The location is great, it's really central. Just near the train station, there's a lot of projects going on in Sunderland and you kind of really feel like it's coming to life, and we're getting in at a perfect time."

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He said one reason they moved away from the shipping container was an absence of footfall outside of matchdays. 

Mr Milroy said the restaurant will have four pizzas on offer, available in slice form or a full 24-inch pizza, as well a choice between normal or loaded fries.

He said the seasoned fries meal deal will cost £6.50, and £8.50 for the loaded fries meal deal.

Normal slices will cost between £3 and £3.75 and Mr Milroy ensured the slices would be "big."

Speaking on the challenges faced by businesses opening a new branch in the current cost-of-living climate, Mr Milroy said he was confident his venture would be a success.

He said: "It's slightly worrying, but just from the success of Seaham, we know we've got a product that people want.

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"I think you've just got to back yourself and be confident in the brand and the product.

"We're confident that we can do well in the city centre."

He said the business now has the keys to the building and will be recruiting eight people to man the venue, with six employees already signed on.