A POPULAR café/bar chain has become the first to sign up for one of the six new restaurant units in Basildon's East Square.

'Loungers' will operate from one of the new restaurant units being built as part of the 10-screen cinema scheme, which will be operated by Empire and include the biggest screen outside of London's Leicester Square.

The East Square cinema and restaurants scheme is being led by Basildon Council and will see the creation of a night-time economy and boost jobs for local people.

Basildon Council leader Cllr Andrew Baggott says: "The progress on this scheme is exciting and the cinema and restaurants will breathe new life into this part of the town centre. We want East Square to become a real destination of choice for our residents. A place to spend weekend and evening leisure time.

"Basildon is open for business and I am delighted that Loungers has chosen our town to expand their offer."

A spokesperson for Loungers added "We are excited to be an anchor tenant for the East Square scheme in Basildon. We think that this scheme will be a great addition for the town centre, and are looking forward to welcoming customers to our Lounge here".

Loungers is an operator of 172 café/ bar restaurants across England and Wales. The company operates successfully in a diverse range of different sites. Hospitality, comfort and familiarity remains at the core of the company, driven by an independent culture and focus on the local community.