A Georgian-style bistro with a pink marble bar at the centre is set to open next month, bosses have confirmed.

Itaca's has taken over a section of the former Merchant Chandler building in Ashford which has been split into two units.

It is being run by twin brothers Charlie and Billy Banyard who have been working to restore the building since spring.

The gold sign above the door has now gone up and renovations inside are nearing completion.

As well as the vibrant bar, there will be giant chandeliers and rose walls and ceilings in the toilets.

By day it will be a cafe which serves afternoon tea, coffee, and light food, and by night, it will turn into a wine bar with an extensive cocktail menu.

Charlie and Billy first came up with the idea while on holiday in the south of France around four years ago.

They saw the word Itaca's etched into an old church while discussing the idea and the name has stuck ever since.

While an exact date is yet to be confirmed, the pair say it will be ready in December, hopefully in time for Christmas.

The front of the building, which is Grade II-listed, currently has two Georgian pillars which will soon be restored to their former glory alongside two new replicas.

Four of the internal walls will be removed to open up the space, while a new wall would be created to make room for new toilet facilities.

The brothers have also applied for a licence for outdoor seating which they are hoping to hear back on soon.

They will both manage the venue in North Street but hope to hire at least six members of staff and are currently on the look out for baristas, waiters and mixologists.

The wine bar will form part of the redevelopment of that stretch of the town centre which is being renamed Draper's Corner as a nod to the street's past.

Under the plans, the adjacent part of the building, which more recently housed The Collection Ashford, will become Fusion multi-cuisine restaurant and takeaway which will serve a variety of foods from fish and chips, Italian pizzas and Indian masalas.

Above the retail units, planning permission for six flats was granted in 2019.

There will be two one-bed apartments, three two-beds and one three-bed, with a separate entrance away from the retail units.

The ex-Evans store next door to Itaca's is also on the market as part of the development.

Computer-generated images show the long-empty unit could be filled by a national brand such as Costa Coffee, although nothing has been confirmed with the company.