Italian restaurant closes down after landlord hikes rent

Franco & Paolo Ristorante Italiano in Locks Heath Shopping Village has shut its doors after deciding the business would not be sustainable due to what it said was a 40 per cent increase in rent.

A statement on the restaurant’s Facebook page reads: ‘It is with great regret that we have to announce the closure indefinitely of Franco & Paolo Ristorante Italiano.

‘This is due to the very high rent demand (an increase of nearly 40 per cent) that was put to us going forward from New River Retail owners and landlords of the Locksheath centre as a consequence we decided that the business would not be able to sustain this kind of increase.

‘We would like to thank those of you that have supported us over the last five years.’

The restaurant was run by lifelong friends Franco Ardani and Paolo Cerasuolo, both originally from Italy, who met 25 years ago when they were both working at Papagallo’s in Winchester.