The opening for Sittingbourne’s first Italian restaurant is just around the corner.

Amalfi will greet its first customers to the former Woolwich bank on Monday, filling the unit in the High Street for the first time in about eight years.

It is named after an Italian coastal town near Naples.

It is being built by Musa Kivrak who is also responsible for creating Sittingbourne’s first Mexican-themed restaurant, nearby Tacos Locos in the former Bull Inn pub, which opened last January.

The new eatery will be open between noon and 3pm and 5pm and 10pm every day.

Mr Kivrak said the two-storey venue will have much of its furniture imported from Turkey.

There will also be exposed beams upstairs in the Grade II-listed building, impressive lighting and a large room for private functions and parties.

As part of the building’s transformation, the upstairs seating area has been redesigned and also refurbished.

Mr Kivrak said: “It’s coming along and looking good.

“Sittingbourne deserves and needs the regeneration but it needs someone with courage and enthusiasm.

“We hope people will appreciate what we have built here but we can only survive if they support us. I’m proud to be investing here.

“I like the fact I’m able to breathe new life into an old building that has been empty for some time.

“I think we’ll be able to bring a bit of quality to the town.

“It should encourage people to come back into the town and save people from travelling to other places such as Maidstone and Canterbury.”

The restaurant will have 40 tables and will cater for 120 people and have more than 10 people working there during busy periods.

Plans were submitted to Swale council for approval last December.

It comes as it has been announced two national chains are set to move into the town as part of the Spirit of Sittingbourne regeneration.

Creams and Loungers, which run a range of cafes, will join Nando’s and Pizza Express in Bourne Place.

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