The original Six by Nico in Finnieston is set to close next month when acclaimed chef Nico Simeone opens a new flagship restaurant in Glasgow's Merchant City.

Opened in 2017, the first in what is now a string of 15 Six by Nico restaurants across the UK and Ireland will shut its doors on January 14 with all existing bookings transferring to the new venue in Merchant City's Albion Street. The Finnieston site will re-launch in February under a new brand, Sole Club, which will operate as a speakeasy-style fish restaurant and takeaway.

A third new concept, cocktail bar Somewhere by Nico, is scheduled to begin trading in February at Six by Nico Byres Road in Glasgow's West End. The total investment across the three venues is said to be £3 million. 

The Herald: Nico SimeoneNico Simeone (Image: Six by Nico)

“Our team is driven daily by the challenge to constantly create and reinvent," Mr Simeone said. "We are dedicated to being different, never resting on our laurels, and continuously striving to create the best customer experiences.

"Marking our six-year journey with such a significant evolution of experiences in our home town and reaffirming our commitments to the city seems like the best way to celebrate the next stage in our company vision.“ 

Sole Club will pay homage to the original idea that kick-started the Six by Nico journey - "The Chippie" - bringing together two dining concepts in one venue. One side will host a unique takeaway offering new twists on the traditional chippie, while the other will operate as a 22-seat fish restaurant focused on crafting menus based on the best ingredients available each day.

READ MORE: Glasgow-based Six by Nico to open new city restaurant

Influenced by Six by Nico, Somewhere by Nico will offer a six-stage cocktail experience with paired dishes which change every six weeks, each inspired by a "themed world". The two-hour experience will focus on storytelling with the mixologist as narrator.

Since launching the first restaurant in 2017, Six by Nico has served more than 350,000 customers across its Glasgow locations in Finnieston, Byres Road and the Southside. In that time a total of 49 tasting menus for which the brand is known have been created.