Fratelli, the award-winning Italian restaurant in Ponteland, has confirmed it is expanding to open a second location in Hexham, in the former offices of the Hexham Courant newspaper. The announcement was made on Thursday, with work now underway on the new site.
Expansion into Hexham
The restaurant, a long-standing fixture of Ponteland's food and drink scene, shared the news on social media, posting behind-the-scenes photos from inside the new building. In the post, Fratelli wrote: 'Ponteland will always be the home of Fratelli, and as an award-winning, family-owned restaurant, we’re so proud to now be growing the Fratelli family with a second location in the heart of beautiful Hexham.'
The new restaurant will occupy the old offices of the Hexham Courant, a prominent building in the town. The post continued: 'There’s still plenty happening behind closed doors before we’re ready to open, but we can’t wait to bring everything you know and love from Fratelli to another beautiful North East setting. More behind the scenes updates coming soon… our next chapter is officially underway.'
Local reaction
Former Courant staff were among the first to respond, with one commenting: 'I worked in the front office of the Courant, will be amazing to see what you do with it, and of course have some amazing food while we are at it!'
Local residents also expressed excitement about the arrival, including one who said: 'Can't wait for Fratelli to open in Hexham. I've eaten at Fratelli Ponteland regularly over the years where the food is consistently excellent. So having Fratelli close to home will be fantastic!'
Hexham has previously been named the 'happiest' place in the UK and one of the most desirable postcodes in the country. Fratelli remains open for business in Ponteland, and the new Hexham site is now in development.
