A well-known restaurant in Carlisle is closing for a refurbishment to take place.

Casa Romana, at the top of Warwick Road, shuts today, tomorrow and Wednesday lunchtime for renovations to be carried out.

The restaurant has been operating since 1993.

Richard Shannon, chef proprietor at Casa Romana, said: “We have to keep up with the times. Warwick Road is now chic and cosmopolitan.

"There has been a lot of work going on around us at The Halston, Sotto across the street and the opening of Prezzo a few doors down.”

The refurbishment will concentrate on formally separating the upstairs and downstairs.

“We are going to knock a wall down and move the bar,” said Mr Shannon.

“It’s going to be a bit messy and it won’t be entirely finished before Christmas. There will be some building partitions in place until the new year.”

Mr Shannon said a similar refurbishment was carried out at the Casa Romana in Whitehaven last year and it has “paid dividends”.

He said: “We did a refurbishment not long ago but we like to keep on top of things. It’s part of a rolling programme.

“We recently refurbished the toilets and the bar but this time we are going to be knocking down walls.

“It will mean the restaurant will be lighter and we will get more benefit – especially from the arch window at the front.

“We are also going to get a few more seats in.”

The refurbishment will be fully completed in the new year.

Mr Shannon said: “We are doing it now as we thought it was best to remain open on weekends and get it done on our quieter days.”

Last month plans for a five storey structure beside neighbouring The Halston were approved by Carlisle City Council.

The new building will host 19 apartments, a restaurant and a top-floor balcony on the site of the old Lonsdale Cinema, which closed in 2006.