Abbeydale Road's Bella Napoli opened its doors in 2002 under the ownership of Nancy Dallagiovanna. The warm environment and traditional menu made it a popular choice with locals. It closed in July, but not for long, as new owners Karla Gabbitas and Chris Shenton are now transforming it into an Italian-style cafe/bistro, which they have named Volpe.
Shenton, who has a track record in sales, said that he had always wanted to open his own cafe and is delighted to have been given the opportunity to do so after being let go from his last sales position. He commented:
"We're going to run a more simplified menu, retaining some of Nancy's best-sellers and introducing some dishes of our own. Nancy had a really loyal following and the phone's been ringing off the hook but the customers have been giving us great feedback.”
In order to let locals know that the restaurant has been transformed and is ready to welcome diners, Shenton and Gabbitas may want to look into the options they have in terms of promotion. One option is to use leaflets and banner printing.