Sugo Pasta Kitchen is hoping to crowdfund its way to its third restaurant, saying that the banks ‘aren’t keen’ to lend to indie restaurants in the Covid climate.
The renowned Italian restaurant already has sites in Altrincham and Ancoats.
Its third, in the regenerated Stanley Square in Sale, is due to open in the coming months.
The team behind Sugo have managed to cover most of the money needed to build the restaurant themselves.
But they say they’re £85,000 short and have ‘hit a funding brick wall’.
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Food at Sugo – it hopes to open a new restaurant in Sale soon. Credit: Sugo.
They hope that their Kickstarter campaign will help them to raise the remaining funds, with supporters able to make pledges in exchange for rewards.
The rewards include meals in the restaurants, unlimited pasta for a year, and private restaurant takeovers.
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At the time of writing, they have already raised more than £17,000 from around 200 backers.
Sugo posted: “For our sins, we decided at the beginning of 2021 that we’d love to open our third restaurant and back the regeneration project taking place at Stanley Square in Sale.
📣 WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET US OPEN IN SALE! 📣
We’re £85k short for our fit out in the new year. 💰
“Since we opened our original restaurant in Altrincham in 2015 and then Ancoats in 2018, we’ve often been asked to open in Sale!
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“The project in total costs £275k, and we’ve managed to cover £190k ourselves. But, unfortunately, the banks aren’t keen to lend to indie restaurants right now due to covid, so there’s no better time for us to launch our first ever crowdfund.
“We aren’t asking for something for nothing; essentially, you’re buying gift vouchers that you can redeem at any of our restaurants whenever you choose in 2022.
“So, if you like to visit us anyway, you’re paying for your next trip to us upfront so we can finish our fit-out. That’s all there is to it.
“Alternatively, it makes a superb Christmas present too!
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“Lastly, a massive thank-you to everyone who has been part of our journey thus far. We really couldn’t have done it without you.
“The best is definitely yet to come!”
Speaking to The Manc back in July, co-owner Michael De Martiis said: “In both Altrincham and Ancoats we came in at the beginning of a new food and drink revolution and we’ve got that same buzz with Stanley Square and Sale.
“We’re going to put our heart and soul into creating a Pasta Kitchen in the heart of Sale that will be cherished for generations to come.”
Featured image:Sugo
Food & Drink
Iconic ice cream cafe Grandpa Greene’s to ‘completely demolish’ canalside location, revealing big new plans
Daisy Jackson
Grandpa Greene’s fans have just one month left to visit the ice cream company’s iconic canalside cafe, with the team announcing its imminent closure – but not for too long.
The family-run business has huge plans for the site, announcing that it will be ‘completely demolishing’ the Diggle cafe to redevelop it into a new space.
This ice cream brand is one of the North West’s favourite food producers, creating dozens of ice cream flavours to serve from their parlours, as well as indulgent treats like pancakes, afternoon teas, hot chocolates, and milkshakes.
The location that most people think of when they think of Grandpa Greene’s is their spot right on the canal in Diggle, but after more than 20 years, it’s time to give the site some TLC.
Grandpa Greene’s has operated from here since 2005, when Carole Scholes opened an ice cream ‘shed’.
Now, they want to turn it into ‘the ultimate hospitality destination’, with reclaimed Cheshire brickwork, huge windows, and a vaulted roof, making the most of the scenic surrounds.
Rick Scholes, managing director at Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream, said: “In 2005, my mum, Carole, opened a small canalside ice cream shed in Diggle after bringing my grandfather’s original family ice cream recipes back to life. None of us could ever have imagined where that journey would lead.
Grandpa Greene’s existing canalside location in Diggle will closeThe family-run business has grand plans for the siteCredit: The Manc Group
“Over the last 21 years, Grandpa Greene’s has grown organically thanks to the incredible support of our customers, our team and the local community. It’s amazing to think that what started as a small canalside ice cream shed will soon become the ultimate hospitality destination.
“This redevelopment represents the biggest investment in the history of our Diggle site and our commitment to securing the future of Grandpa Greene’s for many years to come.
“While we’re preserving everything that has made this place so special, we’re creating a fantastic new space that can be enjoyed all year round including one of the biggest milestones for the site… indoor toilets!
“We close our Diggle site this September to begin this exciting new chapter and look forward to welcoming guests back in December.
“On behalf of my family, thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last 21 years. We can’t wait to welcome you back and share the next chapter of the Grandpa Greene’s story.”
All Brewers Fayre and Beefeater locations across the UK are closing down
Danny Jones
It looks to be the end for not one but two of Britain’s best-known and long-running restaurant franchises, as Brewers Fayre and Beefeaters will be closing down all of their locations.
Dating back to the mid-1970s, there will soon be none left anywhere in the country
The pair of recognisable chains, owned by parent company Whitbread PLC – who also own Premier Inn, hence why they usually come as a joint package – have nearly 200 sites across the UK, but they are already in the process of a wholesale shutdown.
News of the impending closures first began circulating back in April, but now the process is said to be fully underway, with multiple Greater Manchester names on the chopping block.
A real shame all brewers fayres are closing down. As a member they’ve sent me a last free main. So enjoying a mixed grill pic.twitter.com/EIHMZ7LCvv
— Daniel Turner⚽️ 🏟️ 1️⃣1️⃣5️⃣8️⃣ (@puffpuff65) August 4, 2026
With roughly 3,800 staff set to be made unemployed as part of the major restructuring by Whitbread, the job cuts will see approximately 12% of their workforce laid off from a total of around 30,000.
One local duo due to face the music is the soon-to-close Stable Gate in Denton and Wheatlea Park in Wigan – both of which are Brewers Fayre branches.
89 of the brand’s boozers have been given until early September (some dates may vary) to shut up shop and hold not just their last orders, but their final dinner service full stop.
The rest of the venues closing next month are Beefeater pubs, including the Heaton Park one in Crumpsall, The Quay House at Salford Quays, and the Whitgate Inn over Oldham way.
As for others nearby, Macclesfield’s Springwood Park is also set to close.
The older of the two British mainstays is Beefeater, which was founded by Whitbread back in 1974 when they opened their first pub, The Halfway House, down in Enfield.
Brewers debuted up North in ’79, with a maiden watering hole called The Farmers Arms in Preston, before going on to open several locations around Lancashire and eventually nationwide.
Most of you will likely have visited or at the very least passed one of those food and drink spots in your time, and while they may be more associated with hotels and service stations these days, they still served as regular haunts for plenty of people who will no doubt be gutted to see them go.
Speaking of services, another big name is expanding further into the North West.
Daisy Jackson -
14th December 2021 
