A new Turkish restaurant has opened following a £500,000 revamp.

Turkuaz, in Medway Valley Leisure Park, Strood, welcomed its first customers on Friday (June 7) and is already proving popular, according to branch owner Amir Jani.

He said: “We had a really, good busy weekend. We are focusing on looking after our customers.

“We had a lot of people with some even travelling 15 to 20 miles to visit. It was great, I did not expect that.

“Everyone is happy. They said we needed a place like this in the area.”

Amir spent around two months completely refurbishing the vacant unit, which was previously Chiquito, in the hopes of bringing a “taste of London to Kent”.

The restaurant, opposite Cineworld, has undergone a half-a-million-pound makeover including flower walls and light fixtures, a new interior, paintwork and most importantly will feature an open kitchen.

The branch, in Chariot Way, will be able to seat around 220 people including in the main dining area, conservatory and garden.

Turkuaz, which has a few branches across the country, offers authentic Turkish cuisine including hot and cold meze, sharing platters, pide (Turkish pizza), wraps and kebabs.

It also has a cocktail menu, wine list, milkshakes and Turkish coffee.