While the pandemic has hit the hospitality industry hard, it hasn’t stopped some restaurant bosses eyeing up moves to south Essex.

Here are a number of places that have or could be opening up in your area.

Cookies and Cones

Cookies and Cones recently opened its new shop on Southend High Street, selling out all its bakery items by midday on its first day in business.

The brand initially opened in leigh three years ago and flourished through lockdown, opening branches in Rayleigh and Wickford.

Echo:

Southend’s branch is the latest to open, with bosses revealing plans for another south Essex branch and a potential move to the big apple.

Frank’s

A plush new Latin American bar and restaurant is set to open in the former Bar Rio in Leigh after a £350,000 refurbishment.

The business, which previously operated as Bar Rio on the ground and first floors, has been closed for five years.

The venue has a new £40,000 kitchen and will employ 25 staff primarily serving meals.

Echo:

During the day there will be an informal menu with teas, coffees, wine, pastries and sandwiches from lunchtime. After 7pm the menu will include, chicken wings, grilled prawns, roast bass and pork carnitas served at booked tables.

A small bar area will cater for people wanting a drink before a meal.

Sam’s Chicken

A new fast-food restaurant could be set to takeover a now empty shop on Southend high street.

Plans have been submitted to change the use of former Beauty Place from retail to a restaurant.

Despite minimal information in the application plans, drawings suggest it will become home to outlet Sam’s Chicken.

If plans were approved, it would be the first Sam’s Chicken in Essex.

Elite Peri Peri

Former Eastwood florist, Fantasy Flowers could be turned into a new restaurant and takeaway if plans are approved.

Drawings of the outside of the building on Rayleigh Road suggest the new restaurant would be called Elite Peri Peri.

The planning statement said there would be an internal seating area for customers to enjoy hot cooked food, with the proposal intending to provide “a much needed economic boost”.

Pizza Pizza

A former bank is set to be transformed into a new pizza restaurant in the heart of Leigh.

Plans have been submitted to convert the former Lloyds on Leigh’s Broadway. The bank is one of many that have closed in the town.

BDA Architecture have now lodged plans on behalf of brand Pizza Pizza.

The application lays out plans to build a single storey rear extension, install a flue and a new shop sign on the front.

In the planning application, BDA Architecture stated the proposals would be a “positive solution to rejuvenate the existing tired vacant unit” as they look to the council to approve plans.