An empty unit in Canterbury recently vacated by a food chain is already set to be replaced by a new café - with a number of jobs up for grabs.

Eat, which was based in Whitefriars, shut down in December after the company was bought by Pret a Manger.

But now hoardings have already gone up advertising new tenant the Real Eating Company, which runs "a small independent chain of café kitchens".

The firm has branches in Bournemouth and Chichester but this will be its first in Kent.

The company was created by Helena Hudson in January 2004. She moved to Brighton from London in 2001 with her family and set up her business in the south east.

All its sandwiches, toasties and salads are "made fresh, from scratch, on-site".

Breakfast will be served all day - with a Full English costing £8.75 - and vegan hot drinks will be available.

The Real Eating Company is set to open in February this year.

Managing director Helena Hudson said: "We’re a strong, independent café business with an emphasis on using local produce and we’re big supporters of the High Street.

"We believe that Canterbury will be a good home for us, complimenting the other cities across the south where we currently operate.

"We’re on the lookout for great local food and drink producers in and around Canterbury. Get in touch if you think we should know about you."

The Real Eating Company said it is also expecting to recruit some of the former members of the Eat team - preserving their jobs.

New recruits are being sought to work in the Canterbury branch. To apply, email canterbury-jobs@real-eating.co.uk.

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