A York design practice is poised to pick up some good contracts from Burger King.

GIA, the multi-disciplinary firm at Dunnington, which has already helped to bring the food giant to several holiday parks run by a leisure client, has now become an approved designer for Burger King.

It means an immediate prospect for GIA of about £2.5 million to project manage building possible Burger King outlets at ten cinemas in London. GIA's 20-strong team offers disciplines ranging from architecture and interior design to project management and branding. It principally works in the leisure and hospitality sector including conference facilities, restaurants, swimming pools, gymnasia and health spas.

Managing director Graham Cook said that on behalf of Bourne Leisure which owns Butlins and caravan operator Haven, GIA had undertaken many projects such as designing and project managing swimming pools, club rooms, shops and even roundabouts.

But work also included two Burger King franchises at holiday operations in Wales and Scotland and others were now planned at the Blue Dolphin Holiday Park, between Scarborough and Filey and at Devon Cliffs, Exmouth.

He said: "Now Burger King has invited us to become one of their approved designers. I assume that the reason was that we are multi-disciplinary.

"Also, we often recommended Burger King outlets to owners of various leisure and other projects such as a family entertainment centre in Hartlepool and at Teesside Airport which was extending its facilities.

"And, I suppose, what goes around comes around.

"Of course we have to use their broad design guidelines, but we would be responsible for space planning, getting local authority planning approvals where needed and project managing on site to completion."

The Burger King approval comes hot on the heels of an ongoing project with Littlewoods catering partner, the Massarella Catering Group, to rebrand its restaurants.

The firm, which recently relocated to Dunnington after 30 years based in Scarborough is now on target to break through the £1 million turnover barrier by the end of next year.

Updated: 10:58 Monday, October 25, 2004