Adriano’s restaurant in Carlisle gets lease for next three years
Last updated 10:37, Saturday, 11 October 2008
Adriano's, one of Carlisle’s most popular Italian restaurants, has a secure future for three years at least.
Carlisle City Council bought the Rickergate premises in March for £775,000. Its intention was to bulldoze the restaurant and surrounding buildings to make way for a plaza with shops, offices, flats and a hotel.
But the Carlisle Renaissance scheme has now been shelved, lifting any immediate threat of demolition.
Adriano’s owner, Franco Bertoletti, said: “The council has leased it back to me for three years and they are getting a good rent. I will stay for those three years and see how I feel then.
“I’m 62 now, so I will be at retiring age. At the moment I feel okay, but three years at my age, they make a difference, so we will have to see.”
The city council purchased Adriano’s and a private home in Warwick Street with cash from the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It plans to keep them as “strategic property purchases” in an area “identified for future development”.
Mr Bertoletti opened Adriano’s in what used to the Malt Shovel pub in 2004. It was submerged under 6ft of water in the 2005 floods but reopened after refurbishment.
He put it up for sale the following year with a guide price of £700,000.
Mr Bertoletti opened Carlisle’s first Italian restaurant, Franco’s, in Castle Street, in 1974.
He has since owned eateries including La Cucina in Lowther Street, Michaelangelo’s in English Damside and Vivaldi’s in Lowther Street.
He also opened a Greek restaurant, Zorba’s, in Warwick Road.
