The Ashby Italian restaurant which has supplied more than 2,200 free meals to NHS and other frontline workers since the start of lockdown is reopening tomorrow (Fri).

Zamani's, in Rushton's Yard, Market Street, will be offering a delivery and collection service and started taking advance orders today from 12noon to 5pm in readiness for the reopening.

News that owners Pejman and Kate Zamani will be resuming business, posted on Facebook, has received an 'overwhelming' positive response from the restaurant's legion of loyal followers.

And keen customers are advised to place their order from the updated menu well in advance to avoid disappointment.

On Tuesday Zamani's made its last food delivery to frontline workers, which included the crew at Coalville Ambulance Station.

The restaurant has supplied more than 2,200 pastas and pizzas, the vast majority thanks to the support of loyal customers, the wider community and suppliers Ashby restaurant deivers 1,000 free meals to frontline workers

Kate told Ashby Nub News: "The time has now come to reopen our business and we feel it would be a conflict of interests to run both a public-funded service and commercial business simultaneously.

"We have received an overwhelming response to news of our reopening, for which we are extremely grateful.

"We feel very supported and that is lovely at what is a difficult time for everyone.

"With the opening just a few days away we are both excited and a little anxious, but we can't wait to start serving customers old and new.

"We will, however, continue to provide meals to the frontline workers on a smaller scale, financed by ourselves.

"Pejman and I would like to say a big thank you to the fantastic Zamani's team who, despite being furloughed, volunteered their time to prepare and cook the food for our NHS and other key works and to the amazing first responders who have continually delivered the meals."