Incoming tenants at Canterbury's long-awaited Riverside complex are set to be handed the keys to their new restaurants and bars.

Builders have finished work on the commercial element of the £115 million scheme, which will see the launch of a new Curzon cinema and 12 surrounding businesses.

The cinema chain is now fitting out the five-screen venue ahead of its launch, and all other units are now ready for the ‘fit-out’ phase.

Tenants are in the process of signing leases with the council and negotiations are ongoing to find occupiers for three yet-to-be-snapped up stores.

So far, BrewDog is the only name to be confirmed.

The international beer chain, which is striving to “build the world’s leading beer brand”, will be taking up residence at Riverside’s flagship unit.

The three-year construction work at the old Serco waste depot site has been delivered by Linkcity, which is part of the Bouygues Group.

Development director Tom Jackson said: “The quality of the final product delivered by our construction partner Bouygues UK is outstanding, and I’m really pleased to see the positive impact the project is already having in the area and the local community.”

City Council leader Ben Fitter-Harding, who says the district “has been screaming out for” a new multi-screen cinema, recently visited the site off Sturry Road to view the progress.

“I am proud the council decided to invest £23 million in bringing this neglected and run-down part of the city to life and am really looking forward to the moment when it will open to the public for the first time later this year and they can see it for themselves,” he said.

“There has been significant interest in Riverside and we are very close to being able to announce the names of our tenants which includes some big brands.”

Aside from the commercial element of the site, large swathes of the Riverside complex is to be comprised of student accommodation. The 493 beds were completed earlier this year and bookings are being made ahead of the 2022/23 academic year.

Meanwhile, work on 189 ‘affordable homes’ - available for shared ownership and affordable rent - is ongoing, with the first apartments set to welcome residents early next year.

Cllr Fitter-Harding added: “This project has created jobs and will create many more, will deliver affordable housing, and will generate income for the council through rents, parking revenue and a share of businesses rates which can all be used to pay for and invest in the vital frontline services everyone depends on.”

Some work on the roads alongside the site will need to take place in the coming months and engineers are formulating plans to minimise disruption.

An official launch date for the cinema and restaurants is yet to be revealed. However, it should be in the early summer.