A new restaurant spread across four floors and boasting a workforce of more than 70 has opened in Canterbury centre.

Diners were welcomed to Cosy Club, in St Margaret’s Street, for the first time on Monday evening following a fast site renovation.

The 160-seat restaurant has taken up residence in the former Closs & Hamblin store, which was previously the city’s Waterstones.

It has been transformed into a “majestic” eatery, with the surrounding walls adorned with quirky colours and furniture.

An array of paintings, taxidermy mounts, and a host of other seemingly random objects such as old radios, jugs, hats and pouffes are on display at the new venue.

Cosy Club, which prides itself on offering “relaxed dining and drinking with a touch of timeless glamour”, already has 32 restaurants across the country.

Canterbury - deemed by bosses as a prime spot due to its “strong retail and leisure offering” - is its first location in Kent.

The site is to be open from 9am until 11pm, and closes an hour later on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Cosy Club chiefs say the food-led venue will have “a particular appeal to families” and is not a place for “vertical drinking” - where revellers stand around at the bar.

It offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus - serving British, European and Asian dishes, as well as a bottomless brunch.

In planning documents submitted to the council last month, agents said: “The hiring of locally based staff and the increased footfall will inevitably aid the economy of nearby retail units, thus contributing to the economic sustainability of Canterbury.

“It will be a popular destination for locals of all ages, encouraging social interaction within the community.”

A number of jobs, including the general manager and several chef roles, are still up for grabs at the restaurant.

Since Monday’s launch, a number of people have taken to social media to praise the city’s latest business, with diners praising “outstanding food and ambience”.

The restaurant’s logo has taken some inspiration from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s cane, known as a crozier.