A new restaurant in Hull has come under fire after it was accused of stealing Manchester pasta kitchen Sugo’s menu and using some of the restaurant’s social media images to promote itself online.
The Ancoats restaurant uploaded a post calling out newcomer Mancia in Hull after its owners allegedly copied the restaurant’s entire pasta menu – with Mancia even listing Sugo’s signature dish ‘Sugo Scoglio’ under the same name.
Mancia owner Angelo Romano has since apologised for what he acknowledged was a “mistake”, and said that he’d been “impressed” by a visit to Sugo, but didn’t mean to “open a pasta war”.
The East Yorkshire restaurant shared images taken from Sugo’s Instagram and Facebook pages to its own social media in now-deleted posts, which attempted to pass the dishes off as Mancia’s own.
Angelo said there “simply weren’t enough hours in the day” for him to take his own pictures and admitted he used Sugo’s, “not realising it would create such an uproar and a social media war”.
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Side-by-side shots of the dishes by Sugo and Mancia / Credit: Sugo Pasta Kitchen | Mancia
Mancia also shared an image of its handwritten menu, which had a number of similarities to Sugo’s own – including a dish called ‘Sugo Scoglio’ – though the Hull restaurant owner said “no one can claim ownership” of what he called classic Italian recipes.
Sugo’s version is made with calamarata, king prawns, baby squid and mussels, datterini toms, chilli, ginger; whilst Mancia’s dish was listed with similar pasta paccheri, shell-on prawns, mussels, squid and datterini tomatoes.
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Further copycat dishes listed by Mancia included a strozzapretti dish with broccolini, anchovy butter, house chicken stock, chilli, parmesan and pangrattato, and an orecchiette ‘pomodoro’ with san marzano and pecorino.
As well as using some of the restaurant’s images and dishes, the East Yorkshire business has purchased the same crockery used by Sugo, with further similarities including jugs, tiles, plates, dishes and starters.
Image: Sugo
Image: Mancia
Sugo co-owner Michael De Martiis said that whilst they always take a degree of imitation as flattery, he felt that this was “fraud, basically.”
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“Listen, like being inspired and seeing people cook our dishes, that’s great […] we’re flattered when people try and do what we do, there’s no problem with that, but this guy’s tried to set up a commercial enterprise by copying and pasting the entire menu…. or one of the menus.”
He added that Sugo had tried to reach out to the restaurant by commenting on the pictures after it was brought to their attention by Sugo’s followers.
The owners of Sugo have also sent across a formal email to Mancia, said Michael, as the business doesn’t have a listed phone number.
Sugo’s Instagram post read: “Some new little gaff in Hull called Mancia thought they could get away with stealing our pasta menu, social media pics and launching their entire business on the back of it.
“Borderline hilarious. They forgot (like liars do) that you actually have to be able to do what you said you would.
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“KARMA. We appreciate the #SUGOARMY for bringing these lil’ schivos to our attention.
“Angelo >> probably best that you don’t repost post this image too. People of HULL, you want the real deal hop on the M60.”
Sugo released a statement on social media / Credit: Sugo Pasta Kitchen
It appears that Mancia has now taken down its social media pages, following Sugo’s tell-all post, which has been liked over 1,000 times since it was shared on 11 November.
The full statement from Angelo Romano said: “I’m Angelo Romano as the proprietor/chef of the newly opened eatery/cafe, “Mancia”, Hull would like to make this statement in response to the recent criticism from “Sugo” (Manchester).
“I have been in the catering trade since leaving school 15 years ago and have extensive experience cooking Italian food Earlier this year I decided I wanted to open a small and intimate dining experience in Hull. I spent months looking for inspiration, visiting many Italian restaurants in the north of England. My elder sister who lives near Manchester introduced me to Sugo. (Italian for sauce and a classic Italian pasta dish, recreated by restaurants all around the globe) I was impressed by the their pasta menu and the atmosphere created.
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“When I eventually found the right property in Hull for my new venture I decided to add a few of the classic Italian pasta dishes I had enjoyed at Sugo, adding my own personal twist by changing some of the ingredients. I also liked the crockery at Sugos, sourced it online and promptly ordered it, not realising this would cause offence. I certainly have not launched my whole business off their back. My menu includes pizzas and is more varied. Wednesday 10th November I opened my small 20 seater restaraunt/cafe.
“I needed to establish my social media presence, namely my Facebook page which had been receiving a lot of interest prior to opening. I wanted to add some fotos of some of our dishes which yes we’re very similar to those of Sugos. There were simply not enough hours in the day for me to do this myself so I did use a few of Sugos fotos not realising that it would create such an uproar and a social media war. However I don’t want to battle and acknowledge this was a mistake for which I most humbly apologise.
“The photos I used were deleted within 1 hour of the complaint been made and have been replaced with my own. Regarding using some recipes from the Sugo menu. These are classic Italian recipes that no one can claim ownership of. It’s like saying I have lasagna on my menu so no one else can use it. I have as mentioned previously in this statement added my own twist by changing some of the ingredients. It certainly was not my intention to open a “pasta war”.
“These dishes should be enjoyed by anyone wanting to sample classic Italian dishes. As a final statement I would like to add I am just a family guy trying to provide for my family in challenging times. Apologies for anything the “Sugo Army” have taken offence to, and thank you for the publicity this is no doubt bringing us both and please if you want to write reviews on our page come and taste our dishes first.
“Ben venuto a nostra cucina” (welcome to our kitchen) we look forward to feeding our customers old and new.”
Featured Image – Sugo Pasta Kitchen | Mancia
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Stockport paedophile who abused teen girls in early 2000s handed five extra years in prison
Emily Sergeant
A prolific paedophile who ‘groomed, exploited, and coerced’ teenage girls in the early 2000s has had his sentenced extended.
It was reported on back in June that Christopher Oates, from Stockport, was brought to justice after he subjected vulnerable girls to what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) referred to as a ‘campaign’ of violence and sexual abuse 20 years ago.
Oates was charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 years old, and two counts causing / inciting a child aged 13-17 years to prostitution.
He was originally sentenced to 13 years in prison for all his crimes.
But now, following a successful appeal by GMP, working with the survivors and the Crown Prosecution Service, to take the ‘unduly lenient’ sentence to the Court of Appeal, Oates has now been handed an extra five years in prison.
Paedophile who abused teenage girls twenty years ago has sentenced extended by five years after successful appeal
We’ve worked with the survivors and the CPS to take Christopher Oates’ unduly lenient sentence to the Court of Appeal. pic.twitter.com/4yfgjpWxCN
His sentencing increase comes after the 45-year-old groomed one of the survivors from when she was just 14 years old, by providing her with a false sense of security, paying her compliments, and pretending to be her boyfriend, all before he proceeded to ply her with drugs, gifts, and affection, and using the trust and control he gained to persuade her to start sex work on the streets of Manchester.
When the teenage victim began to doubt his intentions and asked to go home, Oates dragged her down an alleyway, violently attacked her, and threatened her with a gun, stating: ‘You do as I say, you’re mine now,’ commanding her to go to her ‘spot’.
It was this incident that prompted the teenager to confide in her mother and support services, and from here, found the strength to move forward with her life, while still courageously supporting the police investigation.
From this investigation, detectives were then able to identify a second teenage victim, a 17-year-old, who Oates also coerced into sex work.
Speaking on Oates’ sentencing increase, DI Eleanor Humphreys, who was a senior investigating officer for this case, said: “We join both victims in expressing our relief and delight that the Court of Appeal has reviewed Oates’ lenient sentence and increased it by five years.
“Oates will now rightly serve consecutive sentences for both victims, meaning that his time behind bars reflects the totality of his offending against both women – whose lives he has so badly impacted.
“We will not relent in ensuring child sex offenders are brought to justice and face the full consequences for their horrific crimes.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Football fans on the way home from Man United match injured in Huntingdon train stabbing
Danny Jones
Following the tragic news of the stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire over the weekend, it’s been confirmed that a number of those injured in the senseless incident included football fans returning home after the match been Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.
A 32-year-old man, who is now said to be the only suspect in the attack, was detained at the scene.
Initially, another man – also British-born and of Caribbean descent – was arrested on suspicion of murder, but he has since been released “in good faith” that he was not involved in the mass stabbing.
A total of 11 people were hurt in the attack at approximately 7:42pm on Sunday evening, 2 November; while nine were said to be treated for serious injuries, five have since been discharged, and one is still in a critical state.
'I hope this results in a broader review of security'
The man who remains in a life-threatening condition has been named as Andrew Johnson, a train driver from Peterborough working on the line from Doncaster to King’s Cross in London.
His Iraq War veteran’s intervention is already said to have protected multiple lives, with the LNER staff member calmly bringing the carriages to a halt in an appropriate location as soon as he could.
Nigel Roebuck, a regional organiser for the railway drivers’ union Aslef and lead officer with the train operating company, told the BBC: “The driver did everything he was trained to do, at the right time and in the right way.”
“He brought the train into a station where passengers could disembark safely and where police, fire and rescue, and ambulance crew could get on to the train and attend to the victims and, we believe, catch the culprit.”
Roebuck went on to add: “He showed real courage, real dedication, and real determination in the most difficult of circumstances. Our thoughts tonight are with his colleague, who is still in intensive care.”
Another man who has been praised (following what the authorities have said is not being considered a ‘terrorist act’) is Forest supporter Stephen Crean, who is reported to have confronted the culprit; he was later seen getting off at Huntingdon, having been left visibly injured and needing medical attention.
Get well soon Stephen Crean, This Forest fan is one of the people who stood up to the attacker on the train yesterday.
A true hero, well done Stephen for putting your life on the line for the safety of others. RESPECT to you.❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/dl7eUEtj86
Writing on Facebook, his friend Sanj Beri said, “Get well soon, Stephen Crean. We are all thinking of you. One of the very best and a true hero.” It is not thought that any travelling fans in the United away end were on board at the time.
Another post by a group of local NFFC fans from Munster also reads: “On behalf of the branch, I would like to wish a speedy recovery to Stephen Crean. He was stabbed yesterday evening on a train going back to London after the Forest v Manchester United game.
“He bravely put himself in front of some children to protect them from the evil assailant(s) who wounded at least 10 more people in total. He is a longtime friend of the branch, having attended a couple of our Charity Dinners in Killorglin and was indeed a member at one time.
“I have known him for at least 10 years and he is one of the most gentlest souls you could meet. He follows Forest and Ireland home and away, and I have regularly met him at The City Ground over the years, as well as the likes of Luton, Spurs, Wembley, Ipswich and most recently in Seville.”
Both men have rightly been praised for their quick thinking and heroics in deeply distressing circumstances. It goes without saying that we wish those injured a speedy recovery. You can find out more of the latest info on the situation down below.
Sending our thoughts and strength to all those involved in the incident.
Georgina Pellant -
12th November 2021 
