Urban Dining, the newly established restaurants company, has today confirmed the date of its Admission to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

The company – headed by former PizzaExpress board directors, Glen Tomlinson and John Metcalf – will make 7.4m ordinary shares available to traders on the 19 May.

John Metcalf, chief executive, said: “Next week’s listing will provide us with the platform to identify suitable opportunities to grow a successful restaurant group, based on simple kitchen concepts.

“We will be seeking to acquire a small number of established restaurant brands with the aim of creating a high growth restaurant group.”

In an earlier statement, Metcalf said that the company would be looking to expand acquisitions nationally to up to 100 sites.

The strategy is to obtain privately-owned restaurant companies, trading from 15 units or more.

The market capitalisation of next weeks listing, brokered by KBC Peel Hunt, is expected to fetch around £3.7m.