Cheltenham’s empty Café Rouge is set for a new lease of life.
Café Rouge entered administration during lockdown and the Cheltenham restaurant closed down in July last year.
Franco Manca, an Italian pizzeria chain, are preparing to open a new restaurant in the Promenade, where the old café used to be.
They offer a wide amount of food such as their signature dish, sourdough pizza. Other foods and beverages include garlic bread, salads, wine, tiramisu, ice-cream and many more dishes.
Their closest locations so far includes Bath, Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford.
Photo taken by Nick Sherman through the Creative Commons Licence
The restaurant chain was given permission last month to open their new pizzeria in the town. However, they are looking to start work on the property.
Franco Manca confirmed today that the pizzeria will open in Spring next year.
An objection from Cheltenham Civic Society had argued that painting over the stone columns would be ‘considered awkward’.
Many shoppers have wondered what’s been going on with all the planning permission signs on the building.
A passer by was surprised that Franco Manca were not coming to Cheltenham yet and said “It’s a shame it’s not open, it’s a lovely building”.
A security officer for the Christmas Market, however, did have something interesting to say.
“Some people came two weeks ago” he recalls. But his views on sourdough pizza were mixed and said that it might not be popular in town.
As of writing, the Promenade has two pizzerias. Prezzo and Pizza Express could be a challenge for the pizzeria as their competitors are nearby.
