Retailers rushed out into the street after a restaurant wall collapsed in Tunbridge Wells.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, which owns the building, is now investigating the cause of the incident at Ask Italian on Monson Road, which happened at 11.41 this morning.

The restaurant has not reopened since lockdown and so luckily no one was in the building, or its courtyard, which the wall fell onto.

Jamie Edney, of Edney and Edney, an options, works next door and called the fire service.

Mr Edney said: "At the beginning it sounded like when a restaurant tips a big stack of bottles into their bin, but there was a bit too much noise and a bit too much dust from the brickwork."

"It wasn't quite as dramatic as it sounds. Usually that courtyard is busy in the summer, it could have been much worse."

The fire service attended before 'passing the scene' into the care of a building and property manager. The front of the building and a section of pavement has been cordoned off.

Tim Dunn, from Albie's Barbers on Monson Road, said: "It's pretty bad, the wall has come away. I could hear it from down the road, it was a really loud crash. I think the air conditioning unit had fallen off."

A spokesperson for TWBC, said: "The council was notified this morning by neighbours that a wall was collapsing at ASK restaurant into the small courtyard the side of the building.

"We asked building control officers to attend and Kent Fire and Rescue Service who cordoned off the area.

"Our property and estates team is now investigating the cause of the collapse and taking any necessary action to ensure the building is safe and there is no danger to the public.

"The nearby bus stop on Monson Road is still in use.’

'Usually that courtyard is busy in the summer, it could have been much worse...'

A spokesperson for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called to reports of a partial wall collapse on Monson Road in Tunbridge Wells at around 11:41am. One fire engine was sent to the scene and crews used a ladder to help make the scene safe, before passing the scene into the care of a building and property manager."

In late July, Azzurri Group, which owns Ask Italian restaurant chains, Zizzi and the Coco Di Mama pasta chain said it will close 75 locations, after being hit hard by coronavirus.

However, the restaurant chain had not yet confirmed which branches would close.

Read more: All the latest news from Tunbridge Wells