An Indian restaurant which served at the heart of the Laindon community for more than 30 years has closed.

Akash Tandoori, situated in the Laindon Centre, had been treating customers to culinary delights across Basildon since the Seventies, through its restaurant and takeaway service.

The popular eatery is closing in the face of the centre’s £50million regeneration which means remaining retailers at the dilapidated site have to leave by February 2019.

Devoted customer, Steve Mead, 55, has been a regular visitor at Akash since the 1980s, when he and his wife first moved to Basildon.

He said: “The staff have always been second to none.

"We have tried one or two different places but have always returned.

"We have been on first name terms with almost all of the staff throughout the years.

“We introduced our sons to Indian food at the Akash almost as soon as they were out of their highchairs.

"They are now very much adults and have left home to build lives of their own, but still return there for a curry whenever possible.

“We’ll be sad to see it go, though not shocked - the closure to make way for the redevelopment has been coming for a long time, to the point that it became a joke we’d had with them whenever we went in there.”

It was announced last month that the Laindon Centre regeneration was being brought forward by a year by developers Swan Housing Association.

The new site will feature a health centre, 86 houses, 138 flats, and a shopping parade.

About 50 retail premises have expressed an interest in the new units, however some shops that occupy the centre have expressed concerns with older residents losing the community feel that the established centre has retained.