A popular town centre pub has been transformed into a wine bar and bakery.

The former Punch and Judy in Rendezvous Street, Folkestone reopened last week under the new name Panataria.

Owners of the site, Ben and Lucy Cuthbert, are behind L&B Restaurants and also own five other venues across the town.

In an announcement last month, Mr and Mrs Cuthbert said that Punch & Judy would be replaced by an “evolving community space”.

In a statement online, they said: “Missed us? We’ve been quiet the last few weeks but it's time we reintroduce ourselves.

“The Punch & Judy has officially closed and replacing it will be Panataria, an evolving community space, deli, bakery and wine bar.

“Everything stocked will be locally sourced and we have a fantastic range of wine, beers and spirits which you can sit and enjoy or pop in your bag to enjoy later.”

After weeks of refurbishing the building, Panataria officially opened on Saturday, December 2.

The new deli and bar is now open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10am-4pm.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday the bar will stay open until 10pm.

In 2020, Mr and Mrs Cuthbert got the keys to the former Gillespie’s in Folkestone.

It is now called the London and Paris Hotel after husband-and-wife team spent two years painstakingly restoring the 19th-century building.

The venue’s seafood restaurant opened in July and the hotel rooms, which all come with a sea view overlooking Folkestone Harbour, followed at the end of September.

In October, L&B Restaurants also took over The Famous Ship Inn in Sandgate.

As well as this, the group are the owners of The Harbour Inn, The Pullman, Lubens, Market Square and the Folkestone Food Market.