MEXICAN restaurant El Guaca will open in Colchester’s High Street.
The restaurant will open in the former Layer Cake bar, next to the George.
The move comes two months after the town’s only Mexican restaurant, Amigos, closed suddenly leaving 16 staff jobless.
El Guaca has restaurants in Clacton and Maldon.
It is the latest in a string of restaurants to open in the town centre, including Love Thy Burger, in High Street, and East Coast Diner, in Lion Walk, with Bill’s due to open in High Street next month.
Bill Frame, borough councillor responsible for economic growth, said: “There is a real buzz in the town centre and each new restaurant is contributing to that.
“These new premises do give the impression things are on the move and it helps to get the idea in people’s heads that Colchester is a place to come and open.”
“The real bonus is the creation of jobs.
“We will see that here I hope, but we’re also seeing it in Bill’s as well.”
Bill’s, an American-style deli restaurant, is due to create 40 jobs when its opens at the former Angel Court council offices.
Mr Frame said: “People might say ‘not another restaurant’, but what pleases me is about this is that people want to come to Colchester.
“They have decided Colchester is a place to plant their flag, in this caseaMexican flag.”
El Guaca will open in July and will employ 15 staff.
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