TRENDY burger restaurant Solita is opening a second establishment in Prestwich, we can exclusively reveal.

The restaurant's co-owner Franco Sotgiu has announced that an eaterie – offering a "new concept with a Solita twist" – is to be launched in the town.

Prestwich has long been hailed as a trendy place in which to go out — with up-market pubs, bars and bistros such as All the Shapes, Cuckoo and the Church Inn all within walking distance of each other.

And, according to Mr Sotgiu, the town is only going to get better. He said: "Yes, we are in the planning process of opening another site in Prestwich. You read it here first. That proves just how good Prestwich is and how much I value it as a place for my business.

"The new place will be a different concept, but still with a Solita twist, and will be opened nearby to the existing site.

"The first restaurant has exceeded all our targets. We're surprised at just how busy we have been since we started, especially the lunchtime trade, and we're more or less full every night. So it only seems right to continue our business here."

Solita — which also has sites in Didsbury and Manchester's Northern Quarter — has enjoyed great success since it first opened almost a year ago.

Mr Sotgiu said: "Prestwich is a great location because it is central to Bury and Radcliffe and not too far from Manchester, but it's one of the only places that has a traditional village area in the town.You find that young professional people who maybe can't afford places like Chorlton and Didsbury are moving to Prestwich, creating a really good hub for an up-and-coming night life."

Mr Sotgiu hopes that the town will continue to prosper and offer more independent businesses.

He said: "I think there's a great buzz in Prestwich. There are some really nice places to eat and drink that are quite quirky — like Grape to Grain next to us. They are a craft beer, wine and cheese bar. But as well as bars and restaurants, I would like to see more independent clothes shops, for example. There's a little DIY place over the road from us which is nice.

"A lot of my friends in the business are now asking me to look out for sites for them. I think them seeing how busy we are has given others confidence to come north of the city. The more the merrier, I say."