Up to 40 jobs will be created when part of a former town centre cinema is turned into a restaurant.

The Santa Fe restaurant chain has already been granted a licence to use part of the old ABC cinema in East Street, Brighton.

Bosses at Santa Fe said the full and part-time jobs at the new family restaurant would be advertised early next year.

There are four Santa Fe restaurants already in the UK in Birmingham, Reading, Bluewater in Kent, and London. A further six are to open during the next year.

The Brighton restaurant is likely to open in October. It will have 100 seats and a small bar.

Marc Ward, development director for Santa Fe, said: "We are very pleased to have the opportunity to secure that spot, especially with the regeneration that the developers are proposing.

"I think it is going to be fantastic and will also retain the character of the old building."

The restaurant will be based on the lower and upper ground floors.

A pub is due to open on the site in January and a casino has been given the go-ahead to operate on the first floor.