Work on a new smokehouse due to open this spring has now begun.

Scaffolding has been erected outside the former Chiquito at entertainment complex Eureka Park in Ashford.

It will be replaced by Korean Cowgirl, which already has sites at Riverside in Canterbury and at Cave Hotel in Boughton-under-Blean.

A proposed opening date of Friday, April 18 (Good Friday) has been revealed.

The business announced plans to fill the unit, which sits between Nando’s and Subway, back in October.

After being given the green light by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) for an alcohol license, work began to transform the vacant unit this week.

A spokesman for Korean Cowgirl said: "Ashford is crying out for something new and a bit different and that's why we want to make Korean Cowgirl a destination venue.

"Eureka Park can offer that as it has some great brands which are already really strong plus a cinema, two hotels and free parking.

"So we will certainly have a great access point here.

"In terms of now, we started work Monday and so everything from Chiquito has now gone.

"A full refurbishment is now underway as there is a lot of work to do given it has been dormant for so long.

"We'll looking at putting up signage too before we open on Good Friday."

Once open, it will breathe new life into former Mexican chain diner Chiquito which has been empty for years.

The Restaurant Group, which also owns Frankie & Benny’s and Wagamama, announced that 61 out of 80 branches of Chiquito would not reopen following the pandemic.

Signs were removed from the Ashford venue following its closure in October 2020 and all that remained was a solitary sombrero in the front windows.

There are currently no Chiquito left in Kent.

Before the Mexican venue, the building was home to the M20 nightclub, which shut down in 2005.