NANDO’S has confirmed its new restaurant in Blackburn opening next year will serve ‘halal’ chicken.

The South Africa-owned chain has said it made its decision after looking at the ethnic and religious make up of the town.

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The news follows its announcement earlier this week that the new outlet at the Vue cinema complex will open in February, 15 months later than originally hoped.

It will seat 130 customers and create 40 jobs.

The Islamic dietary expert who warned in May last year that local Muslims might boycott the restaurant in a row over what constituted acceptable ‘halal’ food yesterday indicated the dispute with the chain is close to being settled.

Salim Mulla, chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques Halal Committee, had expressed fears that Nando’s choice of the London-based Halal Food Authority to accredit its chicken as ‘halal’ was unacceptable.

The LCM favours the regime of the Leicester-based Halal Monitoring Committee which forbids the stunning of chickens before slaughter.

A Nando’s spokesman: “We’ve now had confirmation that the Blackburn restaurant will indeed be halal.”

Queens Park ward’s Cllr Mulla said: “We have had a meeting with the Halal Food Authority to discuss their accreditation criteria.

“I will be contacting the HFA and Nando’s about this and discussing it with my LCM colleagues to see if we can reach and understanding on this issue.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council youth and leisure boss Cllr Damian Talbot said: “I think its great that Nando’s will be opening next year in Blackburn.

“Deciding to make the restaurant ‘halal’ is a commercial decision but they have clearly taken into account the demographic make-up of the borough.

“I am sure it will be a great success and very popular with the borough’s young people.”

The restaurant is popular with young people for its spicy Portuguese/Mozambican-based menu.

It had been widely expected that with Blackburn’s large population of South Asian heritage, the menu of the new restaurant would be ‘halal’.

The HFA maintains that its certified procedures meet all Islamic religious requirements while Nando’s has previously said it has no plans to change its accreditation body The new opening date is a further boost for Blackburn town centre after the completion of Blackburn’s £34million Cathedral Quarter included Cafe Northcote and Premier Inn hotel with its ‘Thyme’ restaurant.

It is first outlet for the chain in East Lancashire.

Caribbean-style bar and restaurant chain Turtle Bay announced in September it intended to open in Blackburn next year and is currently applying for an alcohol license for a unit in the Premier Inn building.