Vito Bruno who owns Gusto Italia and one regular’s meal on Instagram

An Italian restaurant owner is preparing to open his second in the Preston area.

Gusto Italia’s Vito Bruno says the Watery Lane premises is ‘perfect’ for the new pizza and pasta takeaway.

In School Lane, Bamber Bridge, it’s gained a reputation over the years for good Italian food and Vito says he wants to bring his wood-fired pizza to Ashton-on-Ribble.

The 40-year-old former Heathcotes chef said: “We were driving down near the Docks and a few months ago we went past what was the Ribble Cycles shop. I saw it was empty. We went back and it was still up with the estate agents.

“So I rang and we thought it would be a great place. There’s no other Italian restaurants nearby so we thought it was time to expand.

“We’re a family-friendly restaurant, and there’s going to be the same good food and atmosphere as we have here in Bamber Bridge.”

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Work has begun on converting the former cycle shop into the restaurant.

Vito says they are six weeks through the conversion and he hopes to have it open by May.

He said: “We’ll have the same open oven and kitchen as we have here.

“There should be space for between 80 to 100 people as we are doing both of the floors.”

The new Gusto is to open from 10am until midnight, and has applied for a premises licence to serve alcohol. Parking for the restaurant is behind the Spar.

It will also be offering takeaway pizzas as Vito’s current delivery service operates within a three-mile radius of his School Lane restaurant.

Do you visit Gusto Italia? Do you live nearby? Let us know in the comments below