Continental wine cafe set to open in Ormskirk

Nov 22 2012 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

A CONTINENTAL wine café is set to bring the Sicilian experience to Ormskirk when it opens its doors next month.

Jon Back, of Belpasso Oil and Wine company, is opening La Cantina at the Malthouse Business Centre in time for Christmas.

The 20-seat cafe will sell French pastries and fine coffees in the morning, Italian paninis and sandwiches in the afternoon and exclusive wines by the glass and bottle into the evening.

Furniture is being sourced through the West Lancashire recycling service in Skelmersdale, including a 19th century church pew that will run across two walls.

The Belpasso Oil and Wine company currently supplies wine to restaurants such as Brooke’s Bistro and Volare in Southport from the unit, but Jon now wants to expand to offer something unique in the town centre.

He said: “I wanted to create something different. There are plenty of bars but nothing quite like this, with the kind of atmosphere I want to create.

“It’s going to be quite quirky, low ceilings, a cosy den. The name means ‘the cellar’ which fits really well. I want it to feel just like a traditional Sicilian cafe – the antithesis to Costa Coffee and the chains. In Italy you don’t have a million choices, they just bring you a very good coffee.

“Nothing we sell can be bought anywhere else in the country. I don’t have French wine as it’s not my expertise. I lived in Italy for several years and know the producers. I can tell customers where they come from and stock all sorts of things people might not have tried, such as almond desert wines, which are delicious.”

Plans have now been submitted to West Lancs council to create a canopy and outdoor area at the front, replacing two parking spaces.

And Jon said: “I’m looking forward to getting started now and hopefully we can create something that will really capture peoples’ imaginations.”