An Italian restaurant in Carlisle - which is celebrating its 25th birthday - has served 1.6 million customers and served 3 million meals since it opened in 1993.

And to celebrate, Casa Romana - a city institution on Warwick Road - is offering a special meal deal for £19.93.

Customers can get a code from its website for a two course meal for two and two free drinks.

Happy hour in 1993 cost £2.75 and a glass of wine was £1.30.

Today, a happy hour dish is £7.50 and the same glass of wine just under £4.

Dick Shannon runs the restaurant with Toto Porcello.

Before they opened Casa Romana, the pair were involved in Benvenuto's 2, which used to be on Scotch Street where Waterstones bookshop is now.

Mr Shannon said: "We changed Benvenuto's 2 to Casa Romana and ran it from there for a year before we moved to Warwick Road.

"We opened a restaurant in Whitehaven in 1997, which is still in operation today and one in Workington in 1999. This closed three years later."

On the Casa Romana Facebook page a statement says: "In 1993 Buckingham Palace opened its doors for the first time - and so did we.

"In 1993 bookies reduced the odds to 50/1 that the monarchy would be abolished by 2000.

"Also in 1993, one in three restaurants closed within a year.

"We are both still here and as popular as ever."

Mr Shannon said: "In the last 25 years I'd say the rise of the national chains has been one of the main things.

"Twenty-five years ago we relied on word of mouth and the Yellow Pages - today it's all social media.

"We have trained chefs who have gone on to work at places like Mezzaluna, Michaelangelo's and Amato's.

"When we first opened lasagne and pizza margherita were the number one dishes and they are still very popular today.

"It took me a while to get egg mayonnaise off the menu!

"Our cannelloni, polpette (meatballs) and pizza riccardo (spiced chicken, tomato and olive casserole, cheese, more chicken and a little mascarpone cream cheese) are popular too."

The restaurant has welcomed some famous faces in its time too.

Singer Chris de Burgh - most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red" - dined at Casa Romana last year.

Mr Shannon said: "I was on holiday at the time but I think he was just passing through and looking for somewhere to eat."

The Bay City Rollers and musician Jools Holland - who regularly performs at the Sands Centre - have also dined at Casa Romana in Carlisle.

The Whitehaven restaurant was popular with "stars" when the Civic Hall was open and regularly held gigs.

Mr Shannon said: "We used to get the comedians like Craig Charles coming in."

The restaurant won the Italian Pizza Pasta Restaurant of the Year Award and was a finalist in the English Italian Awards, which involved an intense cook off.

"At these awards we got to meet chefs Antonio Carluccio and Aldo Zilli," said Mr Shannon.