The team behind a Huddersfield party venue is investing £250,000 in a new restaurant.

Victoria Allen and Ihjaz Khaliq, who run Popkidz in Marsh, are opening Taquitos Mexican Restaurant tapas and bar in August.

The £250,000 venue will be in West Vale near Elland dubbed an up-and-coming area for dining out.

Ihjaz, known as AJ, who lives in Stainland, said: “I’d been driving by the venue for ages and thinking that it had great potential.

The building the junction of Green Lane and Stainland Rd Greetalnd which is being converted in to a Mexican Tapas restaurant and Tequila bar named Taquitos.

“It’s in a busy, thriving area and one day I just decided to go for it.

“It’s an old insurance office, I think it’s been closed for a few years but it’s in a great area.

“We talked about options for it, there is no Italian or Mexican and we wanted to incorporate a bar so we decided to go with a Mexican theme.

“There will be a tapas and tequila bar, the restaurant on the middle floor and a lounge and restaurant on the upper floor.

The building the junction of Green Lane and Stainland Road, West Vale, which is being converted in to a Mexican Tapas restaurant and Tequila bar named Taquitos. Owner of the building, Ihjaz Khaliq, known as AJ, inside the building which is being converted.

“West Vale is a great place, there are already some great restaurants like Catch and Cafe Thai and we want to add to that.

“We want it to have great vibe and welcoming atmosphere.

“We are really excited about the new venture. As we live in Stainland, the next village up, we have seen how much the area has changed. There is a real buzz in the area.”

The couple, who have a number of businesses including a private day nursery and hair salon, will remain at Popkidz with a team working at the new restaurant venture. They have also just franchised Popkidz with a venue open in Bradford

Popkidz owner Victoria Allen and Aj are expanding in a new venture in West Vale. Taquitos Mexican Restaurant tapas and bar opening in August

They have already secured planning permission to convert the three-storey building on the corner of Stainland Road and Green Lane into a restaurant.

It will look very different, with large bi-folding doors opening up the space and the interior completely over-hauled.

The new venture will create around 12 new jobs.

Popkidz is a party venue for children, with everything from music to light shows, bubbles and choreographed dance routines on offer. There are also party venues in Halifax and Wakefield.

Mr Khaliq launched the venture after seeing his daughters have fun at a children’s disco on holiday and decided there was a gap in the market locally.