A SOUTHEND nightclub has been transformed into the plush new home of the town’s Mangetout restaurant.

Churchill’s, in Tylers Avenue, has become a swanky smokehouse and grill and opens today.

Brothers Will and Frank Fishenden have worked night-andday for the past two months preparing for the official opening this weekend.

The new site is three times bigger than Mangetout’s former home in Chichester Road and is ready to cope with demand.

The restaurant, which seats 150 diners, has two bars, a bespoke charcoal grill, mezzanine floor and live entertainment.

Will, 27, said: “Food and drink are our passions and we’re really excited to be opening this weekend.

“Mangetout is a place you can come and enjoy a meal and drink with your friends.

“There’s that couple of hours where people don’t want to go to a nightclub and they can sit and drink and enjoy the live music here.”

Head chef Arron Digby and his team will be cooking steaks, burgers, ribs and seafood as well as options for vegetarians in the new kitchen.

A dedicated cocktail bar serving mini burgers leads on to a garden area which will open this summer with an outdoor bar and barbeque.

Customers will enjoy acoustic sets showcasing local acts on Friday and Saturday nights and jazz and blues on a Sunday as the restaurant acknowledges the building’s heritage.

Will said: “Churchill’s was a hotspot and we’ve kept the old sound system.”

The brothers have completely transformed the interior with the help of local designer Charlotte Sayer.

Slate grey walls, stripped back wooden floors, exposed brick walls, copper piping and filament lights greet you as you walk through the glass doors.

Will said: “We wanted to give it a rustic feel. We’ve taken inspiration from steakhouses in London.”

The restaurant, which has created 30 jobs, has already had enquiries for engagement parties, weddings and birthdays and is fully booked on Fridays and Saturdays for the next three weeks.

To book a table, visit mangetout grill.co.uk.

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Town’s growing gourmet culture

THE relocation of Mangetout is the latest move in the rise of Southend’s restaurants.

The town, once known for its fish and chips and seaside fare, now has an appetite for fine dining.

Upmarket seafood and steak restaurant Bourgee was opened in Eastern Esplanade last year by former Coggeshall chef, Mark Baumann, and the rundown sun shelter in The Leas is set to be transformed into a restaurant.

Further down the seafront, Fisherman’s Wharf, in Western Esplanade, is due to be rebuilt this year, and Toulouse in Western Esplanade and Ocean Beach in Eastern Esplanade add to the area’s fine dining credentials which are attracting customers.