Eccleston Italian restaurant ready to say 'buongiorno' again after being saved from the brink

Verdes in Eccleston closed its doors at the start of lockdown in March and made most of the staff redundant - sparking fears it would not re-open once the pandemic eased.

But now the village eatery has got new owners, the staff have all been re-hired and it will be back serving on Tuesday with the same food and the same manager Gabi Valenzuela.

“We’re so glad to be back,” said Gabi who has been at the restaurant near Chorley since it opened 26 years ago.

“It has been a long five months not being able to serve all our marvellous customers. We’ve missed them and I know, from hundreds of messages on social media, they’ve missed us too.”

John Hilton, boss of Papa Luigi’s in Euxton, has taken over Verdes from previous owners Norwest Leisure Ltd.

The re-opening at midday on Tuesday comes more than two months after restaurants were allowed to trade again on July 4.

Hotels and wedding venues across the country were also allowed to re-open that weekend, although one of Lancashire’s best-known, the Gibbon Bridge at Chipping, only got back to business this week after a five-month lay-off.

“We are absolutely delighted,” said a spokesperson. “It’s been a difficult time for all of us in many different ways.”

Verdes is promising it will return with the same menu and at the same price, with a few special deals to celebrate its resurrection.

“We can’t thank people enough for all the support they have given us, they have been brilliant” said Gabi, whose wife Kate and son Miguel also work at the restaurant.”