Preparation is well under way for the opening of an Italian restaurant on Tranent High Street.

Signs outside Giancarlo’s are now in place, with work being carried out on the interior ahead of its opening.

It comes almost a year after the restaurant was granted a premises licence, allowing them to sell alcohol.

Alastair Macdonald, representing owner Giancarlo Pacitti, had stressed to East Lothian Council the plan was to attract people from throughout the town.

He had also confirmed alcohol would be more expensive than at the town’s supermarkets, discouraging people buying alcohol to take away.

Almost a year has passed since that licence was granted, and Giancarlo’s –in the former Sun Blinds store on High Street – is yet to open its doors.

It does, though, appear that the opening of the new restaurant is imminent.

A post on the restaurant’s Facebook page last month said: “Hopefully it will be around four weeks but we will do a countdown on Facebook.” It has also started recruiting staff members.

Giancarlo’s will have a takeaway area, and Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council members have previously voiced concerns over that part of the restaurant, as they believe Tranent has enough takeaways.

However, community councillors were in favour of a restaurant on High Street, and that view was echoed by ward councillors.

Donald Grant said: “I would like to thank and congratulate the applicant for bringing this empty shop back onto High Street for a constructive purpose.

“It is a shop that has been lying empty for several years.” While Shamin Akhtar, ward colleague, added: “A restaurant would be a real asset to High Street and will be creating job opportunities and regenerating Tranent High Street.” For more information on the restaurant, visit its Facebook page, which can be found by searching for Giancarlo’s Italian Restaurant.