A RIVERSIDE restaurant vital to a town’s plans to boost its economy by capitalising on the 2012 Olympics is set to re-open.

Riva, on Town Pier in West Street, Gravesend, will open its doors under the management of Culinary Solutions UK Ltd in the next few weeks.

Gravesham Council owns the building, and it sees the restaurant and bar as a key part of its plan to revive the local economy by attracting 2012 Olympics visitors to the borough.

Council leader Councillor Mike Snelling said: “The borough’s unique position and fast transport links to Stratford by road, rail and river, make it ideally placed to capitalise on the Olympics.

“With the restaurant’s location on the historic Town Pier, we expect it to be an enormous attraction to visitors before, during and after the London Games.”

On Monday, the council’s cabinet approved a strategy to attract visitors and help local businesses cash in on the Olympics.

This includes creating a pontoon and possibly a cruise liner terminal, which will create the option of having moored boats as floating hotels.

The council will also hold free workshops advising businesses on securing Games related contracts, such as supplying goods to the Olympic Village.

Riva closed at the beginning of this year after it’s tenants at the time, Q Breweries, went into administration, meaning public access to the the pier was closed too.

Cllr Snelling says the restaurant was successful and only closed because of the financial problems of its owners.

Anastasia Zinkevich, director of the new managers of the restaurant, said: “When we first saw Riva we fell in love with it.

“We hope to develop it into a successful business, offering people a place where they can relax and enjoy a fabulous meal.”

The Town Pier is the oldest cast iron pier in the world and was restored after the council bought it in 2002.