A hugely popular pizza chain could be set to open its first-ever Kent restaurant.

Franco Manca - which specialises in sourdough pizza - is said to be eyeing up Canterbury as the potential site for a new branch.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on many restaurant chains - with Gourmet Burger Kitchen the latest to announce it is closing sites in Kent .

But Franco Manca's owner The Fulham Shore says it is bucking the trend, as the crisis pulls rents lower and forces rivals to vacate sites.

After opening its first store in Brixton Market in 2008, the chain has rapidly expanded and today comprises 70 branches, the majority of which are in London.

Now, the restaurant group has told investors it is “well positioned” to benefit from structural changes to the restaurant sector, and is eyeing expansion opportunities across the country.

“With rents likely to be falling for the next few years and more sites becoming available, the future looks promising for Fulham Shore,” the company said today.

It predicted there will be “less competition” as a result of the virus, which has caused pizza-selling rivals such as Pizza Express , Pizza Hut and Ask Italian to shutter sites in Kent .

The Fulham Shore said it will “go prospecting” in areas of the country where it can open more restaurants, highlighting Canterbury as a potential area for expansion, alongside Newcastle, Cardiff and Glasgow.

Franco Manca has now reopened 68 of its 70 restaurants with extra safety precautions in place.

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