One of Faversham's best-loved restaurants is to soon boast a garden for outdoor dining as part of a project dedicated to its popular former owner.

Faversham Kebab House, in Preston Street, has been running since 1986 and holds the accolade of being the area’s top-rated takeaway on TripAdvisor.

Its quality Turkish cuisine has seen it win numerous awards, and now plans to offer a new al-fresco dining experience have been approved.

The rear garden will boast a water feature and a “hotch-potch” of redundant outbuildings will be flattened to make way for the new area.

Mehmet Ozel, known to most people as George, was the founder of the business and he became a much-loved character in the town. He died in January this year, and now his family and colleagues have secured permission to create an outdoor space to the rear, known as ‘George’s Garden’.

The garden will be paved with artificial stone slabs between raised planters containing Mediterranean shrubs and small trees with pergolas and a water feature.

A small extension to the restaurant will also be carried out to provide toilet facilities and a new storage building.

A previous application by George in 2018 was rubber-stamped yet work was never undertaken. With the pandemic hitting, owners who took over from George decided to revise the proposals to cater for a dining area in his memory.

Swale Borough Council has now approved the revised plans.

In giving the seal of approval, Swale Borough Council officers praised the scheme, stating: “The proposal replaces a cluttered yard area to the rear of the building with a pleasant garden which will provide outdoor dining space for users of the restaurant.”

The kebab house says the garden will be a “welcome extra facility for Faversham residents and visitors alike” and not lead to an appreciable increase in road traffic.

The project has also been praised by both the town council and Faversham Society.

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