Taipan Taverns, the owner of the oriental restaurant brand Jim Thompson's, is to launch a new curry bar concept called Gunga Din.

The first site to be converted to the new brand is the Greene King Lord Palmerston pub in Fulham. It plans to have this first site open by the end of the year, with further sites in the pipeline.

Taipan Taverns is currently being bought by Robert Breare's new investment company Noble House Leisure.