Doors have swung open for a temporary Asian-styled restaurant, giving an empty building in Douglas life again.

The owners of New Manila, on Queen’s Promenade, have set up a temporary pop-up eating place in the former KFC building on 46-50 Duke Street.

A lease to use the three-storey building in the town centre has been signed for five months.

Owner Melody Crosby, said: ’We were approached by the landlords and were asked if we would like to use the building, as it’s not being used.’

In 2002, KFC opened an island branch in the Duke Street property. Fourteen years later, the place served its last customer before shutting down due to ’commercial reasons’.

Now Melody and her manager James Sahey are inviting the public back into the building. They held an open day on Friday (May 11).

Melody continued: ’This is the first time we’ve had a pop-up restaurant. We do have a mobile catering van, but that’s different.

’Our restaurant on the promenade started properly running in 2011, we then had a catering van and now we have a pop-up.

’It’s like what we have in Asia. We have the proper restaurant and then the street food where people can watch how their food is cooked.

’So far we have four staff members in the pop-up. We’ve only just started here, so we’re wanting to see how busy it gets.

’We’re going to be open during TT week, so things are going to very busy then.’

Melody explained that the building provides a ’good’ space for people to come in a nd try the variety of Asian cuisine on offer.

’In the pop-up, there’s an open kitchen where people can see what’s happening. It’s an informal setting.

’Hopefully next week we will get a till that gives pictures and people can pick what they want from the visual menu.’

When asked what plans they have once the five month lease is up, she replied: ’We’ve had a few offers to set up a pop-up in the south.

’We’ve had people ask us "why don’t you do it in Ramsey, Castletown or Port Erin?" We might expand, who knows? Our future is open for anything.’

Opening times are between 12.30pm - 5.30pm on Monday to Wednesday and between 11.30pm - 9pm on Thursday to Saturday.

The owners are waiting to decide whether it will be busy enough to be open on a Sunday also.