ST HELENS is full of small, independent bars and pubs, cafés and restaurants.
Our Food and Drink Heroes features give owners and managers the chance to shine a spotlight on their business and showcase their work.
In 2023, we’ve heard from five St Helens business owners in the hospitality industry and they’ve shared their career journeys, passion for their work and their hopes for 2024.
If you would like to appear in one of our Food and Drink Heroes features, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk
Vigour
Vigour
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.
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.
READ MORE:
Vigour – “where the ordinary is done extraordinarily well”
The New Era Greeks
New Era Greeks
Kyriakosand Maria Mavridis came to the UK eight years ago for a one-week trip and they’ve never left.
The couple fell in love with St Helens and the warm welcome they received and they saw the town as the perfect place to fulfil their dreams.
The opened The New Era Greeks on North Road in September 2015, recreating Greek cuisine and Greek vibes amid memories of home.
Kyriakos tells us why the restaurant is a project and not a business, how they adapted quickly amid the Covid-19 pandemic to continue to provide for local people and why they wanted to bring a taste of Greece to St Helens.
READ MORE:
Meet the restaurateurs bringing a taste of Greece to the heart of St Helens
Good Burgers
Good Burgers
Good Burgers has had a busy first year in business.
The popular Earlestown eatery opened its doors exactly 12 months ago, serving Aberdeen Angus burgers to hungry customers.
In February this year, a chip fryer caught fire, damaging the kitchen and restaurant, and owner Mohammed Miah had to battle to get the business open again.
This weekend, Mohammed is celebrating Good Burgers’ first birthday with special offers for customers visiting the venue or ordering one of their tasty burgers for delivery.
Mohammed tells us about the last 12 months, how he’s made his business into a success and what discount deals will be on offer to mark Good Burgers’ anniversary.
READ MORE:
Burger deals top Earlestown eatery’s birthday celebrations
The Unglammy Mammy
The Unglammy Mammy
Gillian Latham is a mumtreprenuer and real life Willy Wonka.
She can turn any chocolate into a delicious tasting tray bake, perfect as a sweet treat in the afternoon or given as a gift to brighten someone’s day.
The mum-of-two started the business just a two years ago and spent her evenings baking once her two daughters had gone to bed.
Gillian, who is 35, tells us about the bestselling cakes, her local charity work and why she serves Irish portions rather than English ones.
READ MORE:
Real life Willy Wonka has recipe for sweet success
The Courtyard
The Courtyard
The Courtyard has only been open for 18 months but it already has a loyal customer following.
So much so, that owner Catherine Owen and the team welcome some customers to their coffee shop every day of the week!
Catherine tells us how and why she decided to open a coffee shop and drops a few hints about what’s to come in 2024.
READ MORE:
From classroom to coffee shop: start the day by visiting The Courtyard
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