A new retro-inspired restaurant is to open on the high street.

Francisco Lounge is set to launch in South Road, Haywards Heath, and is described as a “home from home” for residents.

Highlights from the menu include the chicken parmo burger, topped with mozzarella, marinara sauce and garlic mayo, as well as pulled brisket chilli and a tapas menu. Vegetarian and vegan meals are also available, such as the Miami brunch, where sweetcorn fritters and black bean salsa meet crumbled feta and avocado.

The restaurant is also already preparing itself for the festive period with the release of its Christmas menu headlined by the Christmas Clucker burger, with fried chicken with brie, cranberry sauce and a pig in a blanket.

Gemma Irwin, community manager at parent company Loungers, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the Haywards Heath community to Francisco Lounge. Our Lounges strive to put community at the heart of hospitality, and our teams go the extra mile to make a difference.”

Decor at the site, formerly a Curry’s PC World store, will include painted tables and vintage sofas.

The restaurant will also include design features unique to Haywards Heath, taking inspiration from the town’s history. A mural inside the venue will feature notorious highwayman Jack Hayward who is claimed to have given his name to the area, with the name for the restaurant linked to St Francis.

The lounge will also have a community focus including fundraising for Bentswood Community Hub. Francisco Lounge will donate 50p from every burger sold during the business’s first month as well as 20p from every coffee.

Anna Sharkley, development manager for the hub, said that she was “so excited” to be working with the restaurant and “working together to support the local community for better outcomes”.

The lounge will create 25 jobs as the restaurant looks to hire front of house staff as well as chefs and other back of house roles.

The Francisco Lounge will open on Wednesday, October 19.