Chicken shop chain Pepe’s Piri Piri restaurant has swung open the doors to its first restaurant in Kent.

The nationwide fast food brand opened on Camden Road, Tunbridge Wells, on Saturday while a further two stores are planned to come to the county – although it has not been confirmed where yet.

Overall, the three new branches will create around 45 jobs, including 15 in Tunbridge Wells, where customers were queueing out of the door on the day of the launch.

The 1,600sq ft site will comfortably seat up to 30 diners it is estimated and includes accessible facilities for wheelchair users, providing casual dining, delivery, and takeaway services.

It offers a grilled chicken collection which includes a variety of dishes, such as pittas and salads.

Pepe’s Piri Piri launched in Tunbridge Wells after a six-figure funding package from HSBC UK, secured by the restaurant's franchise company.

Franchisee for the Tunbridge Wells shop Kunal Dhande said: “We’re delighted to have opened our first store in Tunbridge Wells.

“We’re so pleased to have welcomed queues of people on our opening day, and we want to thank the local community as they’ve supported us through this time.

“We’re so lucky to have found such a good team to guide us as we start our journey and look to open more sites in Kent.”

Franchise relationship manager at HSBC UK, Judy Jenner, added: “HSBC UK is passionate about helping entrepreneurs realise their goals, so we’re delighted to have helped open Tunbridge Wells’ first Pepe’s Piri Piri restaurant."

Customers can order in-store and via local food delivery sites such as Uber Eats and Just Eat, as well as on the restaurant's mobile app, Pepe’s Piri Piri, which is hosted by Flipdish.

It comes with works having started earlier this year for burger chain Five Guys to open a branch in Tunbridge Wells.