The old McDonald's restaurant at Southside, St. David's is set to be reopened as a take-out restaurant and convenience store in July.

Runway International Holdings have inked a lease with the Bermuda Land Development Company to open the restaurant at the site on Coregidor Avenue which was once the American run base McDonald's.

For almost a year until last July, local businessman Dan Grayson operated Longtail Burgers before closing due to a lack of business.

In a press release Danny Pereira, managing director of Runway Holdings, said his restaurant will offer Chinese and Indian foods, along with pizza and Bermudian dishes.

Low-fat and low cholesterol dishes and a children's menu will be provided.

Mr. Pereira said the restaurant would be known by its reasonably priced and well prepared food, friendly staff, and long hours of opening from breakfast to dinner.

The convenience store will be in the seating area of the former restaurants and will be similar to US style 7-Eleven stores.

It will provide over-the-counter prescriptions, non-perishable foods, household supplies and Afro-American products, in addition to close out and liquidation merchandise from leading US department stores.

"The future of Southside is heading in the right direction,'' Mr. Pereira said. "Anyone with business sense can see the opportunities ahead. The key is to get in on the ground floor.'' Mr. Pereira was one of the first businessmen to open up shop on the former baselands. His Southside carpentry opened at Ships Wharf in 1996.

BLDC spokesman Mark Orchard said: "We're delighted because Mr. Pereira' operations will increase the range of amenities available to businesss operating.''