THE Basildon branch of Frankie & Benny's, the family-friendly Italian American restaurant chain , has undergone a major refurbishment and will reopen on Friday (22 October).

The site at the Festival Leisure Park has been refreshed and updated to create a more modern look and feel whilst maintaining the core identity of the Frankie's brand.

The company says it will be a lighter, fresher and brighter design building on the buzzy atmosphere of the current Frankie's experience. One of the main elements of the refurbishment is significant expansion of the kitchen area, enhancing the team's ability to deliver on the investment that has been put into the quality of the Frankie's menu over the past year.

The environment and sustainability are high on Frankie's agenda and as part of our plans to reduce emissions and reach net zero, the equipment going into the new kitchen will be far more energy efficient. The design has also been altered to accommodate the significant growth in delivery and takeaway operations.

Customers will notice another update – the sign above the main door. Although it will still be in the signature neon red, it will state "Frankie's". As the brand evolves Frankie's is coming to the fore. Customers can keep up to date with all the progress on the refurbishment here.

The restaurant is actively hiring team members in the front and back of house to join in time for the re-opening. To apply, check the details via this link.

Jonathan Knight, Managing Director at Frankie & Benny's, said: "We are delighted with the new look Frankie's! As part of our efforts to evolve the brand and deliver an excellent customer proposition, we are letting Frankie take centre stage and move the brand forward to a bright future.

"We are excited to begin refurbishing other restaurants and we can't wait to welcome back customers."