Confident prezzo will be a success

2:52pm Friday 9th May 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

IAN Carr has been a member of Test Valley Borough Council since 1987 and will soon be its longest serving leader.

To mark the start of a new civic year we caught up with Mr Carr in the leader's office at the council's Beech Hurst HQ in Andover and spoke about a number of issues of concern to the council - with particular reference to the needs of Andover.

THE Plan for Prezzo to open a restaurant in Andover's lower Guildhall cooked up a storm when it was revealed last year but so far there have been not even a hint of pizza in the Georgian building.

That's because there has been a long delay due to negotiations between the council and the company said Mr Carr.

"We are expecting a planning application within the next two or three weeks," he said. "There has had to be a lot of discussion because this is a listed building and the company is spending a lot of money and want to get it right."

He said once an application was submitted it should be determined within eight weeks and looked forward to the chain opening up in time for the important pre-Christmas period.

He remained confident Prezzo would have a positive impact on Andover.

"In places where they havc been before there has been an increase in town centre footfall and others have opened up nearby to take the overflow as they have been so popular," he said.

"I'm looking forward to it."