A stylish new restaurant has opened at one of Bermuda's most historic and famous landmarks.

The Dining Room restaurant, which was launched yesterday by owners Odilio and Natalie Angeli, who also run Ristorante Primavera and Rustico Restaurant and Pizzeria, is located on the site of the former Lighthouse Restaurant beneath the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse in Southampton, offering stunning views across the Island and the chance to get away from the stresses and strains of city life in downtown Hamilton.

For the Angelis it is a dream come true, having wanted to start a restaurant at one of the best vantage points in Bermuda for many years now.

But it has not been all plain sailing, with the Angelis coming up against problems trying to recruit new staff, with a lack of Bermudians available or willing to do the work and the Department of Immigration preventing them from taking on expatriate workers and insisting they employ local talent due to a downturn in the Island's economy.

"We have been struggling to open on time because immigration has blocked all the permits," said Mr. Angeli.

"I cannot find the local people that want to work — the only one I found is a pot washer, so I am going to have to be here with my wife, a waiter and chef running the place to start with.

"If there is a local person that wants to start in the restaurant business, then this is a good spot to do so — it will mean that I do not have to pay for a work permit and find them a place to stay.

"I have been advertising for the third time now because immigration is saying there is a downturn in the economy and you have to provide locals with an opportunity and that is what we have tried to do."

Mr. Angeli, who just bought a house in Southampton with his wife, saw the market for a restaurant offering something a little bit different in the area and two years ago asked the previous owner Heidi Cowen, who had run the business for the past eight years and whose family has been associated with the 179-year-old Lighthouse since the 1800s, where her grandfather was the last keeper, in 1968, if she wanted to sell her tea room venture.

Ms Cowen declined the offer at first, having grown up there with fond memories of the place, but Mr. Angeli gave her his business card and they stayed in touch, culminating in Ms Cowen calling him to agree on a price for the sale at the end of 2008, before Mr. Angeli took over at the start of this year.

The Angelis then set about renovating the building, along with the help of builders and contractors, doing everything from installing a modern new kitchen, bar, marble-topped tables and chairs, and toilets, and fixing the floor and roof, right down to designing the interior from scratch and choosing their own tasteful decor and furnishings (including pictures of lighthouse scenes from around the world, such as Ireland and Connecticut in the US and even a photograph taken by Time-Life in 1956) to complement the original features, like the Bermuda wood beams and windows and fire place. An air-conditioning system, additional lighting and a stereo system have also been added to complete the experience.

Meanwhile, the team running the restaurant consists of senior waiter Daniele Bilancetti and head chef Diego Stefan, who learnt his trade in Italy, before going to work in China and at The Venetian in Las Vegas, with seating capacity for about 40 people inside and up to around 80 outside.

Mr. Angeli, who has been working in Bermuda for the past 24 years, during which time he set up his business empire, said there were a number of possible venues up for sale at the time, but none of them compared to this one in terms of location and atmosphere.

And he wants to create a comfortable and relaxing setting, which appeals to both locals, overseas residents and tourists visiting the Lighthouse alike.

The restaurant, which is open seven days a week, except Monday lunch, for lunch between 11.45 a.m. and 2 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., will throw an official party for everyone involved in setting up the new venue, including canopies and drinks, to mark the opening on Sunday. Among the contractors involved in the project were Bermuda Sign Printers, Longtail Construction, Keen Ltd., Temperature Control & Plumbing Ltd., Burrows Lightbourn Ltd., Goslings, Butterfield & Vallis, Correia Custom Carpentry and Europa Imports.

To inquire about jobs or for more information about The Dining Room restaurant contact 238-8679, e-mail primaverarestaurant@northrock.bm or visit the website at www.primaverarestaurant.com