A £3MILLION refurbishment of South-end's biggest casino is complete, with new gaming tables and the latest developments in electronic gambling.

The former Westcliff Casino, in Western Esplanade, will officially relaunch as Maxims Casino Southend tomorrow night.

Two new restaurants, Equations and Terrace II Grill, have also opened on the site. Equations will offer an a la carte menu and the Terrace II Grill offering customers a more relaxed environment.

John Harland, marketing manager at the casino, said: "The Westcliff casino is firmly established in Southend history and we're delighted to start a new chapter with the introduction of the Maxims.

"The launch event, on December 6, will be the perfect way to unveil the new-look casino and ensure our members and guests have a great evening in luxurious surroundings.

"We're really excited about the new casino and hope our existing, new and future members enjoy the new and improved casino."

Meanwhile, speculation about the future of gaming group Rank is mounting after reports that a Malaysian gambling company has bought a ten per cent stake in it.

Genting, which runs gambling operations across Asia and in the UK, is understood to have built up the stake in Rank, which has a licence to run a new casino in Southend.

The newly-refurbished Maxims Casino is owned by Stanley Casinos, whose parent company is Genting.