ITALIAN restaurant chain Prezzo is set to open in a former cinema building in Beaconsfield next week.

The restaurant takes over the property at 12 - 14 Station Road previously occupied by Zoom children centre, which closed earlier this year.

The building used to house The Chiltern Cinema, which closed in the 1980s shortly after a six screen multiplex opened in High Wycombe (now Empire).

Prezzo has spent £700,000 developing the restaurant over the past 10 weeks and employed 18 members of staff.

The restaurant, which opens on Thursday next week, will have seating for 150 people on the ground and first floor, plus a bar and lounge area.

Prezzo chief executive Jonathan Kaye said: “I’m confident that the new restaurant will prove popular with people of all ages.

“The restaurant will serve the highest quality food in comfortable and stylish surroundings and I’m certain it will be a good addition to the social scene in Beaconsfield.”