NPIF II funding helps pizza business serve up 40 jobs with latest opening
A six-figure investment will lead to the creation of up to 40 jobs at a new Nell’s Pizza restaurant in Altrincham.
The New York-inspired restaurant, at Foundation in Altrincham, has been supported with a funding boost from NPIF II-FW Capital Debt Finance, which is managed by FW Capital as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
This investment has helped the development and opening of the new restaurant, the second branded Nell’s site, following its Manchester Kampus opening in 2021.
Nell’s Pizza is also available as eat-in and takeaway slice bars at Common in the Northern Quarter in Manchester and The Beagle in Chorlton.
The family-run business, operated by husband and wife team Jonny and Charlotte Heyes, is named using the initials of their children’s names – Nell, Edith, and Lenny.
Jonny and Charlotte have worked in the Manchester hospitality scene for nearly 20 years and run the Northern Quarter institution Common, along with Port Street Beer House and The Beagle in Chorlton.
Nell’s was founded after Jonny and Charlotte identified that most pizza available in the UK is Neapolitan style.
They took inspiration from time spent researching and trialling pizzas in Brooklyn. They use the best dough and ingredients, treated with care and attention.
The dough is slow fermented over 36 hours to allow for the perfect combination of strength for folding and lightness.
They use 100% British organic flour from Shipton Mill, local cheese sourced from the Crafty Cheeseman, British meat from Littlewoods Butchers and charcuterie from London-based, Cobble Lane Cured.
Jonny Heyes said: “Nell’s Pizza is a real passion project, born from a love of pizza and the joy of making, and baking by hand.
“The support of Adam Husband at FW Capital has been great. The process has been simple. The funding has allowed us to gather momentum and embark on this exciting step forward in our growth journey.”
He added: “The last few years have been difficult for the hospitality sector following the impact of inflation rises, dip in consumer confidence and Covid, but we’re doing well at Nell’s Pizza and are excited for the future. We’re bringing 40 new jobs to the local area which is a great boost for the local economy, too.”
Adam Husband, Senior Investment Executive at FW Capital, said: “Nell’s Pizza is a great business which is on a real growth trajectory. The pizzas are delicious and I’m looking forward to seeing the business grow even further following the successful launch of Nell’s Altrincham.”
Sue Barnard, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Under NPIF II, Northern hospitality businesses can now access investment that wasn’t available to them under the previous fund, which is fantastic news for the sector.”
