Bosses at a soon-to-open rooftop restaurant in Canterbury want violinists, sax players and DJs to be among the performers entertaining diners.

Socialite looks set to open at the end of May or early June above the city's five-storey Hampton by Hilton hotel in St Margaret's Street.

A licensing bid for the restaurant's opening hours and permissions for entertainment has now been submitted to the city council ahead of the impending launch.

The eatery is planned to remain open until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays, but close earlier on other days. Its doors are set to open at 8am each day.

Operators are also hoping to secure permission for live music to be played into the early hours, with performances ending at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The licensing application reads: "Drinks and cocktails, along with coffee to be available during the day at the bar areas.

"There will also be entertainment provided on site by way of live signers, sax players, violinist, and DJs on selected nights, providing entertainment whilst customers dine."

Socialite will be run entirely separate from the hotel, and all customers will access the restaurant via a lift from the ground floor entrance.

The long-awaited venue, which had been due to open at Easter, will be only the second Socialite restaurant in the country, with the other in Brighton.

Bosses claim the spot above the hotel is the “ultimate location for a new luxury dining experience”.

Speaking earlier this year, co-founder Adam Elliott said: “Canterbury is a great fit for Socialite, with an up-and-coming thriving food scene, and we have been looking at locations that we believe guests will want an experience to go along with their dining.

“We promise the best view of Canterbury at night from our roof terrace."

After setting up its presence in the city, Socialite is poised to face competition from a new business hoping to open a few doors down in St Margaret's Street.

Cosy Club, which already has 31 branches across the country, but none in Kent, prides itself on offering table service in grand interiors which "create a sense of occasion".

It has its sights set on the former Closs & Hamblin store, which is vacant following the relocation of the fabrics and homeware company to the Marlowe Arcade.