The privately-owned Chameleon Leisure group – which is based in Glasgow and operates the Asian-influenced Bar Soba kitchen/bar brand – is to introduce the brand to Edinburgh and England.

Key English cities will be targeted and, depending on the site size, each new unit will have a minimum investment of £1m with over 50 new jobs created.

Since opening on Glasgow’s Mitchell Lane in 2001, Bar Soba has tripled turnover to £1m this year.

Bar Soba is split across two levels with the ground floor focused on drinks and featuring a bar serviced by fully-trained mixologists and an underground restaurant that has speciality dishes such as spicy chicken and coconut samosa, sushi platters and ginger chicken ramen broth.

Chameleon Leisure intends to buy each site it occupies, although it would also be interested in speaking to both developers – if they have the right property to move the Bar Soba brand forward in terms of a strategic partnership – and independent hotels or boutique chains in terms of a destination bar.

Chameleon Leisure’s owner, Brad Stevens, said: “We are continually carrying out detailed market research to enable us to source the best locations and I’m actively searching for suitable sites to introduce the Bar Soba concept to Edinburgh.

“We will be working from the blueprint which has proven so successful to date, but each unit will be distinctive and have its own design and ambience.” Details: www.barsoba.co.uk