Restaurant chain Cosmo today announced it would be opening a new branch on a Wolverhampton retail park next year, creating 38 jobs.

The Pan Asian restaurant firm, which operates 10 restaurants across England and Wales, will start fitting out the unit on Bentley Bridge Retail Park in Wednesfield next month. It is expected to open in spring.

The new restaurant, which will serve food from China, Japan and Mongolia, will create 26 full-time and 12 part-time posts.

Company spokesman Tim Rainbird said today: “They will start fitting out the unit in January with a lot of technical equipment coming in from the Far East.

“This is just what the park in Wednesfield needed. It will bring the unit to life and create jobs in the local area.”

The unit on the shopping precinct has been empty since it was built in 2005.

Wednesfield councillor Peter Dobb said a new business was what the town needed. “Any new businesses which opens in these difficult times is great for the area,” he said.