Westfield continues with restaurant plans

Becasse, Cara & Co and Spiedo are just some of the restaurant casualties at Westfield Sydney, yet it hasn't deterred Westfield from ambitious plans for its shopping-mall empire.

The hot rumour doing the rounds of southern eats streets is The Grounds is advanced in negotiations to take over a huge chunk of space at Westfield Miranda. Indeed, word is it could be as much as a whole floor.

''Yes, Westfield did approach us, but we're too busy,'' a spokesman for The Grounds says.

The Alexandria venue is currently a hot target for expansion. ''We've had Barangaroo approach us. Last week it was [a project] in Brisbane,'' he adds. It's nice to be wanted.