A deli pizza restaurant is opening at The Met Theatre in Bury this Friday, February 13, with two former Automatic staff members at the helm.
Fratelli will offer diners fresh, authentic New York-style pizza at the permanent location on Market Street, which was home to popular cafe bar, Automatic, for two decades before it closed its doors for good three years ago.
Co-founders Sam James, Miles Crompton, Charlie Timlin and Conor Hayes launched Fratelli as a pop-up pizzeria around a year ago, trading at Bury FC’s Gigg Lane, Bury Rugby Club and more.
The former Woodhey pupils then teamed up with Will Gallie, Jacob Gallie and Jack Worsick, the trio behind Eagle and Child, Holcombe Tap and Swan and Cemetery to bring Fratelli to The Met.
Will said: “Sam had enquired about hosting a pop up at The Met and we then had the idea of making it a fixed location instead.
“We’ve worked closely with the team at The Met who have been so accommodating and helpful.
“The area we’re in, you’ve got businesses like Bloom Coffee Co and Wax and Beans, which are always packed.
"The Clarence pub has recently reopened too so here’s loads of good eateries around.
“It’s nice to be part of a sort of transformation in Bury town centre and put our stamp on it too.”
The original Fratelli co-founders will continue to run the pop-up side of the businesses while The Met location will be a collaborative venture.
The menu boasts thin crispy pizzas, garlic breads, fried chicken, alongside arancini, burrata, mozzarella sticks, fries, dips and a lunchtime offer of pizza sandos.
The 32-cover restaurant will officially open on Friday, February 13 and will offer gluten-free and vegan options on request.
For two of the co-founders, Sam James and Charlie Timlinm the launch represents a deeply personal milestone, as they both worked at Automatic as teenagers, and say that the return to the site as business owners “marks a true full-circle moment”.
Sam said: “Me and Charlie used to work at Automatic when we first started college in Bury. It was my first real chef job and my introduction into a busy kitchen, having previously worked in cafes.
“We left in 2017 as we headed off to university so it’s been a real full circle moment being back in the restaurant and actually taking ownership alongside Will.
“We're really excited about breathing life back into that space, and apprehensive of the sheer size of the shoes we have to fill after Automatic's 20-year reign.”
Will added: “The Met will still run the drink side of things and we’ll run the food side, and what a great building to be in.
“They’ve got live shows, live events, lots of workshops, so we’re keen to cater for anything they need.”
“We’ve been busy kitting the kitchen out, ordering everything in, perfecting our version of the New York pizza and getting the space looking how we want it to be.
“It’s something that not a lot of people around here are doing. It’s the type of pizza we prefer to eat, so we thought ‘let’s hone in on that and get it right'.”
Will also hinted at hosting events in the space such as cake workshops, painting classes and live music to “tie in nicely with what The Met is all about.”
Between the four establishments managed by Will, they now employ more than 100 people and use local suppliers where possible.
He added: “it’s hard at the moment, hospitality is really being hit hard, so we’re trying to keep supporting other businesses.
“Our menus are being printed in Ramsbottom, our butcher is based in Ramsbottom, our fruit and veg supplier, they’re Manchester-based. Obviously, we work hard for ourselves, but also to support the wider community as well.
“It’s really good for the local area, it’s good for providing people’s first jobs and it’s good for people trying to progress. It’s a good opportunity all round.”
The restaurant will be open Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm to 9pm, and Sundays 12pm to 7pm, offering dine-in and takeaway options.
You can find out more about Fratelli on their Instagram page.
Fratelli at The Met, Market Street, Bury, BL9 0BW
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