Five minutes with the man behind West Bridgford’s Gusto

Restaurant chain Gusto arrived in West Bridgford this week, making it the first one to arrive in the East Midlands. Local restaurant expert Tom Shacklock, from Woodthorpe, Nottingham has been appointed as the general manager. Bethan Tolley spoke to him.

How are you feeling about the launch of Gusto this week?

“I am incredibly excited, we have put a lot of effort and money into the business itself and there has been a lot of time and dedication given to the restaurant already from so many different sources. We have taken over a site which was previously known as The Monkey Tree and the venue had a fantastic reputation, so we are excited to be taking over an existing business and developing it even further.”

What are you expecting from launch week?

“We are expecting people to come in and enjoy themselves. We have already taken on a huge amount of bookings so far, which is fantastic and we are hoping that people will receive what they are looking for and their expectations to be fulfilled. We want them to come in and see that there is a new place in town to come and enjoy themselves.”

Gusto is an incredibly popular chain across the UK now, how do you think it will do in the East Midlands?

“There is no doubt in my mind that the restaurant will do very well. Gusto and Living Ventures aren’t as well known here as in the North West and West Midlands, but we don’t see ourselves as a high-street brand, we see ourselves as an individual restaurant and we will have our own atmosphere. As long as we can deliver everything that we have promised, the area will be great for Gusto.”

What will locals like the most?

“I think the locals will be incredibly keen to come in and see what we have done to the place. This is a fantastic area and there has been a lot of hype about what we have been doing. We have been building away for a few months now, and The Monkey Tree was very much an institution, so we have had a lot of people come in already desperate to see what has been going on and to have a look around.

“We have been able to create a fantastic looking restaurant, with excellent décor and a lovely atmosphere, as well as a conservatory area which is bringing the outside in. There is also a fantastic bar area, where people can just come in for drinks with friends and family.”

How does it feel to be the manager?

“It feels wonderful, I have been promoting West Bridgford as an area for around 25 years and it has come on leaps and bounds over the past 10 years, so it is delightful to be able to engross myself and the restaurant in the community.”

What is your background?

“I started off collecting glasses at Pitcher and Piano in Nottingham in the late ’90s when I was still studying and I fell in love with the industry. I loved the interaction with my colleagues and I loved talking to guests and being around the buzz and excitement of a busy establishment. It is something that I didn’t plan to do, but it is inherent in my nature and I love making people happy and looking after them, so I will always be in this industry now.

“I also spent several years working in the recruitment industry in the Middle East before managing two celebrity chef restaurants in Dublin. But I am Nottingham born and bred, so it is fantastic to be home, it is without question the best moment of my career so far, bringing something new to West Bridgford.”