A burger restaurant once voted the best in the county and with Britain's best chef at the helm is to close its doors for good this weekend.

Big Boys Fine Burger Co in the Old High Street, Folkestone has shocked customers by announcing the "difficult decision" to shut down.

Owner of the establishment, Gareth Atwell, was crowned burger chef of the year in 2020 at the National Burger Awards, with the venue itself coming in second for the burger of the year prize.

But just three years on, the award-winning burger joint has confirmed it will close after more than eight years.

"I have made the difficult decision to close our burger restaurant," Mr Atwell said in a statement.

"This has been a terribly difficult decision to make and one which hasn’t been made lightly.

"I just want to thank our regulars, friends, family and everyone who has visited us over the eight-and-a-half years."

The business will be open on Friday evening and from midday on Saturday, when staff will serve customers until they run out of food.

As the site prepares to shut down, Mr Atwell went on to thank his staff and urge fans of the eatery to drop in and say goodbye this weekend.

"We would love for you to come along and grab one of your favourites for the last time," he said.

"I would also like to say a special huge thank you to the staff we have and have had in the past. We couldn’t have done any of this without you."

Back in 2020, the restaurant hit headlines for banning Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins from the restaurant after he failed to vote to keep free school meals during the holidays.

Big Boys vowed to "stand with Marcus Rashford" and offered to feed hungry children in the town.

Mr Atwell has had 16 years of experience in the fine dining industry and previously worked alongside the likes of Michelin-starred chefs Gordon Ramsay, Michael Caines and Marcus Wareing.

Following the announcement, customers have expressed their sadness as yet another of the town's businesses closes down.

One said: "Really sad news and worrying too - I would have thought Big Boys is one of the most popular places in Folkestone."

Another added: "Unbelievable. This was the best burger place around here. I will miss your burgers guys."

The closure of Big Boys Fine Burger Co comes soon after many others have shut down in recent months.

Earlier this week, celebrity chef Mark Sargeant announced his new Folkestone restaurant, The Brasserie MS, is to close just six months after opening.

As well as this, The Bao Baron shut with immediate effect in December last year.

Big Boys Fine Burger Co describes itself online as offering "the ultimate burger experience".

The business was popular with diners, with a rating of 4.5 on Tripadvisor.