Residents can expect a new restaurant in the town by the summer - though another family favourite has shuts its doors for good.

Pizza Hut confirmed its branch on the Sittingbourne Retail Park in Mill Way, is now permanently closed after being forced to shut at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The news came as a shock after the town’s restaurant, which is parallel with McDonald’s, wasn’t one of the company’s 29 sites - which included Gravesend and Maidstone - announced to be shut this year.

A spokesman for the chain said: “Unfortunately the Sittingbourne closure has been beyond our control and we are doing everything we can to redeploy our team members to other Pizza Hut restaurants in order to minimise the impact to our workforce.

“We understand this is a difficult time for everyone involved and are supporting our team members as much as we possibly can.”

But as one door closes another opens as Nando’s UK bosses submit an application to Swale council for work to begin on the restaurant which has set its sight on opening later this year.

The Portuguese chain’s proposals include getting started on timber cladding and glass panels at the site on the new Bourne Place leisure quarter.

It is one of the many restaurants part of the town’s multi-million pound Spirit of Sittingbourne regeneration scheme.

Nando’s was originally meant to open in May last year but was delayed.

There has not been a confirmed opening date but a spokesman for the eatery said it hopes to “fire up its grills later on in the summer”.

Nando’s will be opposite the railway station, along with Pizza Express, Creams, Loungers, an eight-screen Light cinema and a Travelodge hotel.

Revised plans submitted to the local authority towards the end of 2019 showed the restaurant underneath the cinema with bi-folding doors and seating inside and out.

A Nando’s spokesman said: “We are very excited to be opening a new Nando’s restaurant and can’t wait to fire up the grills later on in the Summer.”

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