Solita to open third Manchester site

Manchester grill restaurant chain Solita is set to take over the premises of two restaurants in Prestwich for its third site.

The business, run by Franco Sotgiu and Simon Pogson, will take over Bombay restaurant on the corner of Bury New Road and Church Lane in Prestwich, as well as the premises of Aumbry adjacent to Bombay.

The decision to take on both sites comes after Mary Ellen McTague took the decision to move the fine-dining restaurant Aumbry to Manchester city centre.

The new Solita site will be able to cater for up to 150 covers, and will offer large outdoor dining areas.

A central kitchen, butchery and meat maturing room will be built on site, where a full-time butcher will be employed to prepare steaks, burgers and other grill items for all three Solita sites.

Sotgiu said: "Prestwich has been in our sights since early last year when we looked at a pub to convert, but the deal fell through. The Bombay gave us an entry to Prestwich but we were always concerned that the site was going to be on the small side for us. The unexpected option to deal on the Aumbry site too has been a welcome bonus, Aumbry has a special place for me as it's where my wife and I had our wedding breakfast - in fact, we were the first couple to do so there.

"Prestwich is a vibrant and thriving village, and we're glad to be part of its expansion and regeneration, and hopefully our move there will encourage other operators to invest in the area."

The new restaurant is due to open at the end of May 2015.