Ian Wade, co-founder of Modern British Taverns, is to open a pizza restaurant in Chester, with plans to roll out the concept of up to five sites within the next three years within the west Cheshire area.
Wade, who operates the Trust Inns site the Ring O Bells in Christleton, has formed a new company with John Roberts, chief executive of telecoms resources company Comvergent, to develop and expand the new format, which he says will be similar to brands Pizza East and Pizza Union.
Private funding is in place for the initial development of the concept.
The planning process is almost complete at the first site for the new format in Chester city centre with plans to open the site this autumn.
“It’s going to be a contemporary take on a pizza restaurant that incorporates coffee and bar areas. It will be similar to Pizza East in London, of which I’m a great admirer of,” said Wade.
“I’ve got the lease sorted on the first site and am now waiting on planning permission but we are already looking at a second site.
Wade has had the concept in mind for a number of years and feels now is the right time for both himself and his business partner to go ahead with their plans.
“We do pizzas at the pub very well and its one of our main lines. At the new site we will have a wood burning open oven and I feel there’s a gap in the market up here for this type of business.
“We don’t have anything like Franco Manca or Pizza Pilgrims and it’s not rocket science that it would work up here too. I also want to do really good coffee at the site and introduce a small but very good wine list.”
