The wait is almost up as a new restaurant for Falmouth prepares to open with a twist - it will be floating.

Set to be open by mid-August, La Peniche is a vintage café and bistro with views of the harbour.

Serving breakfast, light bites and patisserie during the day, and fine dining with a French twist by night, the 38-metre long French barge will be berthed alongside the inside wall of North Quay.

Diners will access the restaurant via a pontoon adjoining the Falmouth Haven marina.

Head chef Luc Wallace is new to cooking in Cornwall but has previous experience cooking both British and European dishes while spending the last two years working at the Magdalen Arms in Oxford and before that The Kensington Arms, owned by Josh Eggleton of Great British Menu fame.

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Using seasonal produce, La Peniche’s menu will change around what is available from local farmers and fishermen, and will include foraged items.

The owners of the restaurant - Tony and Kate Elliott-Cannon – have been keen to realise their dream to bring a floating restaurant to Falmouth’s waterfront and have worked with Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, the statutory body responsible for managing Falmouth harbour, to find the best place to moor the vessel.

Chief executive Captain Mark Sansom said: “We are delighted to welcome La Peniche to Falmouth harbour and support a new business, particularly in these difficult times.

"As well as boosting the vibrancy of North Quay, it will help in the recovery of Falmouth town centre by providing additional dining capacity and attracting visitors to the advantage of business generally.”

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Town mayor Steve Eva agreed: “Falmouth is the place to come and eat and we can now add a floating restaurant to that offer. With good dining and harbour views I am looking forward to visiting them.

"I am pleased that Tony and Kate have chosen to do this, and particularly at the present time, I am sure it will be a popular addition to our venues. Good luck to them.”

Before mooring in Falmouth, the 1938 Delta barge offered dining cruises along the waterways of Burgundy, France and spent its early years as a WW2 gunboat.

The restaurant can seat up to 50 guests but will offer reduced capacity upon opening to enable social distancing.