Maeme's Piri Piri: New Inverness chicken shop to open today

A new Inverness piri-piri chicken restaurant is set to open its doors.

Fast food chain Maeme’s is the latest addition to the Highland capital’s Eastgate Shopping Centre.

Franchisee Sai Kiran Reddy, 27, moved to Inverness in order to work and after falling in love with the city decided he wanted to set up his own business.

The unit which will be home to the new Maeme’s was formerly occupied by computer games retailer Game.

The brand operates several locations across the UK, including an Aberdeen site in Kittybrewster.

Franchisee on having own business

Mr Kiran Reddy is hurdling the final challenges ahead of opening his chicken shop.

If all goes well, he will have his doors open by the end of today and is determined that no matter what is thrown at him he will be serving chicken no later than this weekend.

He said: “I came to Inverness to work and have been here a couple of years now. It’s a really attractive spot and you can see why it’s so popular with the tourists.

“I have always wanted to start my own business and I have experience in the piri-piri industry. After looking at a few options Maeme’s made sense.”

The new Maeme’s Piri Piri Chicken restaurant which is due to open today in Inverness in the Eastgate Shopping Centre. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Franchisee Sai Kiran Reddy (right) with joint owner Channa Reddy Akula in the middle and manager Rafi Ahmed Shaik on the left. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Maeme’s Piri Piri Chicken will feature 20 seats inside. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Mr Kiran Reddy wanted to open in the Inverness city centre and believes the “centre piece”, Eastgate Shopping Centre, was the perfect fit.

He added: “I had a look at several options and Eastgate seemed like the best one. I can stay open until late and I have two entrances.

“The shopping centre is hugely popular and busy and hopefully that can add to business for me too.”

Maeme’s piri piri in Inverness

Maeme’s promises hungry customers “the best grilled piri-piri chicken, burgers and wraps around”.

It is the latest shop to open in Eastgate Shopping Centre, which has seen a busy time for ins and outs in the past year.

The shopping centre is currently left without a food court, but will see it re-open with a different operator later this year.

Falcon Square in Inverness with traffic travelling along Academy Street past the bus stance. — Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness. Image: Sandy McCook/ DC Thomson.

It also lost Lakeland, which moved to Simpsons Garden Centre. However, Royal Bank of Scotland and Pandora have both taken on bigger units within the centre.

Manager Chris Kershaw also confirmed the centre was in negotiations with several businesses over filling empty spaces.