A FORMER bank building is to undergo a £350,000 transformation to become an Italian restaurant. 

The old Barclays Bank building on Town Street in Horsforth will undergo an extensive renovation to become a Pranzo Italian. 

It will be the third restaurant that chef-owner Marco Greco has opened in six years.

There are also Pranzo restaurants in Ilkley and Harrogate.

“We’ve had our eyes on Horsforth for a while,” said Marco. 

“It is a fantastic town with some stunning independent venues to eat and drink, we are looking forward to becoming part of the community.”

After six years in Ilkley and three years in Harrogate, Marco is looking forward to the next stage of Pranzo’s journey.

“We can’t wait to open our third restaurant in Horsforth,” he said.

“There’s a real community feel here, with lots going on in the town.

“We’re hoping to open in May so people can come and enjoy our homemade pasta and the traditional Calabrese food I grew up with.

“We’ll be bringing our seasonal specials and light lunch menu to Horsforth too.

“Opening Horsforth will take our employment tally to over 100 people with the new restaurant alone looking to employ 35 people.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of Pranzo customers and a great team, many of whom have been with us from the beginning.”

Pranzo takes its inspiration from Marco’s family heritage in Calabria, southern Italy, where he watched his Nonna (grandmother) make homemade pasta mixed with ingredients picked from their garden.

“I wanted to offer something that was truly authentic, a real taste of home in Yorkshire,” he added.

“We make everything in-house, our pasta is made fresh daily, as are our breads, sauces, desserts.”

Operations director Stephen Peace is also looking forward to the next chapter in Pranzo’s story.

“Pranzo has experienced a period of growth over the last 18 months,” he said.

“Our Harrogate restaurant expanded, creating an additional 30 seats and our Ilkley restaurant relocated to a bigger venue, doubling its capacity.

The building work is underway at Horsforth, we can’t wait to see it take shape.,”

Pranzo Italian Horsforth will be located at 68 Town Street and will open in May 2024.