A POPULAR Basingstoke restaurant closed its doors for the last time on Saturday night.

The team at La Tasca, in Festival Place, served their final customers before closing down for a refurbishment which will see the venue transformed into a Las Iguanas, which offers Latin American food.

As previously reported in The Gazette, the Spanish tapas restaurant was purchased by the Casual Dining Group which owns six other chain restaurants including Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia.

The team at La Tasca thanked their customers for their "loyalty throughout the years", adding: "After many very happy years in the heart of Basingstoke, sadly we closed our doors for the last time on Saturday, March 5."

Las Iguanas is expected to open later this month.