SCOTT Anderson, Ant Georgiou and Chris Heyes make a good team – they’ve been running the hugely successful Vigour on Bridge Street for nearly seven years.
Their extensive menus suit all appetites, tastes and dietary requirements and they use only the best ingredients at their casual dining restaurant on Bridge Street.
Here, in our latest Food and Drink feature, Scott, Ant and Chris tell us why customers regular visit the restaurant, how they survived the Covid-19 lockdowns and how they strive to stay ahead of the curve.
If you would like to appear in our food and drink features, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk
What’s the name of the business?
Vigour
What’s the address?
36 Bridge Street,
St Helens,
WA10 1NW
Are you the owner/manager?
We are the owners
When did you open the business?
We opened the business in early January 2017
Has it always been in the same location?
Yes
Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?
We all grew up in Sutton
Vigour opened on Birdge Street in St Helens in January 2017
Tell me a bit about your business
We are an exciting multi award-winning independent restaurant. It’s somewhere you regularly visit and it’s somewhere you'll find regulars. It’s somewhere that uses local suppliers for its fresh ingredients. It’s somewhere you can go for a beer, wine or coffee with your mates and then sit down to a meal with your mum the next time you visit. We have created a lively, contemporary space for our customers to eat, meet, drink and relax. A little piece of the city, without having to go into the city, with a loyal following of customers.
What do you do? What services do you provide?
We are a casual dining restaurant, that offers create your own meal and brunch options, specially curated small plates, burgers and Sunday roast dinner. With extensive vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options we can cater for all dietary requirements. We offer delivery via UberEats and Deliveroo or takeaway collection. We also specialise in healthy meal plans on the go with discount codes on our website.
Why did you decide to open your own business?
We saw a gap in the market in St Helens and felt there was a lack of contemporary dining choices like those you would find in a city centre like Liverpool and Manchester.
What’s your business background?
We have a vast experience successfully running and scaling up various companies, as well as spearheading projects across multiple sectors, which has enabled us to acquire a diverse, transferrable skillset that has been integral to previous business success and personal growth.
A roast dinner special
Why this type of business?
We wanted a new challenge and a place for ourselves, friends and family to enjoy.
Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?
Yes, it was an extremely difficult time which had a detrimental effect on our business. But the support from our customers kept us going and we’ve come out the other side – a little battered and bruised but much stronger as a business.
What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?
We do the ordinary extraordinarily well. We are hard to categorise and to be compared to, as our brand is unique. When others zig, we zag. We always stay ahead of the curve and constantly innovate.
Crispy buttermilk chicken burger served with Asian slaw, sriracha mayo and fries
Why do loyal customers return to your business?
Loyal customers return to our restaurant because we take great pride in everything that we do, from the moment they walk through our door to the moment they leave. We put extreme focus on customer service and only use the best suppliers. We have been number one on TripAdvisor consistently for more than a year now and have won multiple awards. This shows the public appreciates the hard work we put in daily to ensure their experience is unforgettable.
What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?
Our plans are to continue innovating and specially curate our menus to each season. We will continue to keep delivering on our promise of being the best restaurant in St Helens on TripAdvisor, Deliveroo and UberEats.
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