An internationally-renowned restaurant chain is moving in near a discount shopping centre.

Wagamama, which serves Asian food based on Japanese cuisine, has taken over a substantial unit at Dockside, Chatham.

The business has eateries in Bluewater, Maidstone, Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells and it expanded its diner at the Ashford Designer Outlet Centre earlier this year.

Schroders Capital’s real estate own the site and has confirmed this means it will now be 100% occupied with Wagamama and Zizzis filling the spaces where Villagios and The Real China once were.

Eleanor Jukes, Schroders Capital UK Real Estate Fund’s portfolio manager, said: “Wagamama and Zizzi are strong additions to Chatham Waterside that will be popular with the local community, drive footfall and complement the existing tenant mix.

“The nature of both the brands is testament to the quality of the scheme and marks the completion of the transformation of Chatham Waterside following the closure of themed attraction Dickens World.”

Marc Ward, Head of Acquisitions at Azzurri Group, owners of Zizzi, added: “We are delighted to obtain representation in Chatham in this important retail and leisure location.

“We are pleased that working together with Schroders Capital has enabled us to satisfy this longstanding requirement.”

Marc Sherman on behalf of Wagamama, said: “We are delighted to have secured a new unit in this location at Chatham Maritime and we thank Schroders Capital for working with us and we look forward to opening our new restaurant soon.’’

Wagamama, which started with a diner in Bloomsbury, London in 1992, now has branches all over the world.

During the Covid pandemic, its parent company, The Restaurant Group closed 250 restaurants with the loss of 4,500 jobs.