A POPULAR Italian takeaway is opening a new business in Wickham after its spaghetti carbonara, lasagne and cannelloni proved to be a hit.
Stuck for ideas after a restaurant he worked at closed, Geoff Blyth opened Bella Isabella in Gosport's Fareham Road in July 2019.
He vowed to keep the restaurant as close to home as possible, importing ingredients such as sauce, spices, cheese and flower from his mother's homeland of Calabria in Italy.
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Geoff, 63, who is originally from Blackburn, has been pleased with his business success and after a post on Facebook attracted lots of attention, he is now bringing a slice of Italy to the Meon Valley.
He will be operating from the kitchen in Bay Tree Walk, in The Square, Wickham from 4.30pm to 10.30pm each night.
Geoff said: "I've always liked Wickham Square. There's a lot of potential there for business. I put it on Facebook and it's already got over 1,000 page likes and messages asking when we're opening, so I think it's going to be a bit busier there.
"It's a new opportunity to meet new people and satisfy the customers, which it's all about. There's no Italian in Wickham Square, and everyone wants an Italian."
The takeaway offers a menu of burgers, T-bone steak, pasta, full English breakfast, pizza and desserts, as well as hot and cold drinks, which can be ordered online at bellaisabellagosport.co.uk. Orders over £25 receive a 15 per cent discount and a complimentary garlic bread on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Geoff, who has worked in the restaurant industry for 47 years, named the restaurant after his Filipino wife, Maria Isabel Delos Santos, who he has been with for 10 years.
He said: "She means everything to me. It's an inspiration to see her picture on the wall in the restaurant. She keeps me going during the day."
Bella Isabella opens in Wickham on Tuesday, March 1.
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