A POPULAR cafe next to Clacton’s West Beach is undergoing a major £500,000 makeover.

The first phase of the refurbishment of the Atlanta, on the Lower Promenade, will be completed in time for the Easter weekend.

Rob Kendall, who runs the business with wife Wendy, said the initial phase has cost around £300,000 and has seen the entire inside of the cafe revamped to modern standards.

New cooking equipment and coffee machines have been installed along with new furniture and bi-folding doors.

A new bar will also be put in between Easter and May.

Mr Kendall said: “As well as the cafe, we have created a new ice cream parlour in an American theme, a new gift shop and an area for hiring our deckchairs and sunbeds.

“It is the first significant overhaul of the building for more than 40 years and has been possible as we have negotiated a new 20-year lease from Tendring Council.

“Without that we could never have undertaken such an investment in the site and the next stage will be to create a wedding venue and conference facilities above the cafe, taking the total spend to in the region of £500,000.”

Mr Kendall said Clacton is “on the up” in a way that has not been seen for many years.

“Clacton Pier is spending £4million on its exciting new development, improvements are underway at Clacton Pavilion and Tendring Council is playing its part in the regeneration of the seafront,” he added.

“The Royal site has been brought back to life and other businesses have also spent large sums of money to brighten up the whole seafront area.

“We are very much in it for the long haul and want to make this a 52-week a year operation. We believe that the signs are really positive for the town going forwards.”

Rob and his wife moved to Clacton in the 1970s and he worked on Clacton Pier for many years.

They have had the Atlanta for five years.

The second phase on the upper floors will start once the first stage of the upgrade is fully completed.

Tendring Council finance boss Carlo Guglielmi said: “It is great news to see such confidence in Clacton as a year-round destination.”