Europe's busiest McDonald's drive-thru is set to shut for almost a month.

The fast-food giant's outlet on Orbital Park, Ashford, will close next week for refurbishment work.

The drive-thru and restaurant, which is the second busiest in the world after one in China, will be shut for just under four weeks.

Franchisee Paul Crocker says the work is one of the first in a country-wide work scheme to allow for better staff quarters and courier care.

"It will be altering the staff rooms to give them more room and to improve the facilities for them," he explained.

"The staff rooms themselves and the staff rest rooms will be improved among other things to help look after our staff."

There will also be a new, separate courier waiting area with its own counter in order to separate deliveries with in-person customers.

"This will help streamline the main customer desk and prevent overcrowding, as well as looking after the couriers," Mr Crocker explained.

"They will have their own separate waiting area so it will be more pleasant for them, and nicer for the customers as they will have more room."

It is understood the drive-thru and dining areas will be mostly unaffected in appearance by the works.

The closure will start at the end of business on Monday night, with the outlet reopening on Thursday, October 13.

It comes amid ongoing roadworks to remove the nearby Orbital Park roundabout, and replace it with traffic lights as part of the 'Bellamy Gurner' scheme.

The hated works on the A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road were originally scheduled to finish next month, having started in May.

However, it was recently announced that they will drag on until Christmas following delays due to Operation Brock and issues at the Port of Dover.

Earlier this year, plans for a fourth McDonald's in Ashford were approved for land off Chart Road, next to the notoriously congested ‘tank roundabout’.

Work on the project is yet to begin.