One of Wales' last Blockbuster video stores will soon be opened as a brasserie-style restaurant.
The Penarth branch on Windsor Road closed along with the chain's other remaining UK shops in December 2013 - and the building has remained empty since.
Nearly two years after plans were put in for the new restaurant, called Hickmans Bar and Restaurant, it finally looks set to open.
Restaurant operator, Sean Murphy, said they were looking to do some soft launches in the week commencing September 16th before opening to the public in the following week.
Mr Murphy said: “It has been an amazing project. We have had a lot of expenditure obviously due to the condition of the building, so we have gone roof to basement, all new flooring.”
He went on to say that the kitchen would be “state of the art” and that the dining room finish will be “phenomenal”.
He added: “It has been a really exciting project. Not only from an operator’s point of view, but from a construction point of view as well."
“[I have] really enjoyed the project and [I am] just looking forward to getting it open now.”
Mr Murphy used to be involved with Knife and Fork Food Limited as one of three owners.
The company was behind some of the most popular pubs across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, but it was put up for sale last year.
Mr Murphy said the restaurant would offer affordable home-cooked food in a “nice environment with…a nice, friendly team”.
The bar and restaurant will be on the ground floor, while the upper floor will also have a bar, an outdoor roof terrace and private dining area.
Local councillors welcomed the plans for the bar and restaurant when they were first announced.
Labour county councillor for St Augustines, Cllr Neil Thomas, said at the time that the former Blockbusters had been “moribund for far too long”.
He added: “Any attempt to bring it back into beneficial use is to be welcomed."
“There are already a high number of hospitality venues in the vicinity and a number of other businesses have closed or are closing recently as mentioned in the application."
“Concern for the health of Penarth town centre is increasing as more businesses fail and this could be seen as contributing to the offer of the area hopefully encouraging other independent businesses to follow suit.”
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