A Stevenage restaurant has just undergone a quarter of a million pound makeover which has created 15 new jobs.

Pizza Hut on Stevenage Leisure Park was closed for two weeks for the refurbishment, which is part of a multi-million pound building programme across the company’s UK restaurants. The Stevenage site is the first new look restaurant to re-open in Hertfordshire, following its £260,000 investment.

All of Pizza Hut restaurants’ famous icons – including the Ice Cream Factory, salad station and buffet – are put centre stage as part of a new, interactive design, showcasing the fresh food and vibrant atmosphere.

In addition to the Ice Cream Factory, a central preparation station offers a range of desserts including warm cookie dough, a waffle machine, speciality drinks, and a self-service soft drinks hub allowing guests to refill drinks at their leisure. A brand new menu includes the introduction of ribs, wings and fries, to appeal to a wide range of customer tastes.

The redesigned restaurant offers guests a more open and inviting dining space, and also benefits from enhanced lighting schemes and bolder external facades, signalling the new dining experience.

Pizza Hut restaurants MD, Jens Hofma said: “Stevenage is a really important site for our business and this investment is key to the future of Pizza Hut in the wider area.

“We have a fantastic community in and around Stevenage, so we hope to delight our valued guests here by giving them the best possible experience at our new look Hut.”

The investment in Stevenage is part of a broader £60 million refurbishment and restructuring programme of the business, secured through private equity investment from Rutland Partners in late 2012.

More than 60 Huts are being transformed by the end of 2014.