The Flag Burger opening restaurant in Church Street, Colchester

The Flag Burger will open its doors to customers in the next few weeks in Church Street.

The business was set up by events company staff and has been running for some time based out of a trailer outside The Flag pub in Wivenhoe.

It has proved such a success they've decided to take the plunge and open a restaurant in Colchester.

It will open first for takeaways before opening for inside dining once lockdown restrictions allow.

Nikki Thurgood said: "We opened the van in Wivenhoe to make some money during the pandemic as all events were cancelled.

"We just cracked on and it has gone really well so far.

"Our customers have been really amazing and positive so we thought we would give it a go in Colchester."

Flag Burger offers eight different gourmet burgers, each based on the flavours of a different country.

Options include the Italian - featuring mozzarella, pesto and marinara sauce - and the Indian - which features tandoori chicken breast, lime pickle onion bhaji.

 

Head chef Jon Cutts has an impressive CV and once worked at Buckingham Palace.

Nikki said: "There are sixty different ingredients go into each burger.

"We have really good relationships with local suppliers."

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The Church Street premises was home to one of Il Padrino's eateries before the firm moved everything into one unit just down the road.

Renovation works have been ongoing to install a bigger kitchen and new seating area for customers to use once lockdown rules allow.

Nikki said the firm expected to be open in the next few weeks.

 

She said: "The unit was empty and had been for a couple of years.

"We are working in there every day at the moment getting it ready for opening.

"We are putting in a new kitchen and there will be some seats inside for when people can eat indoors.

"It is undecided at the moment whether we will stay in Wivenhoe too as The Flag is being redeveloped, which we are heavily involved with.

"We are expanding the team because we are expecting it to be busier in the town centre but there is a core of five or six of us at the moment.

"We are very excited and it is massive for us.

"We have got a good following already and everyone is really positive about it being a success."

Flag Burger is available on Just Eat, Colchester Eats and the business has its own app.

For more information or updates, visit www.facebook.com/theflagburger.