A long-serving teacher is leaving his school this summer to follow in his parents’ footsteps.
Dom Sanna, who is head of media studies at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School in Oswaldtwistle, is looking to open a trendy craft beer bar and cafe in the town.
He is awaiting confirmation of planning permission to transform the derelict former Lloyds Bank building on Union Road into ‘Tap Select’,
Dad-of-one Dom’s parents Franco and Kim Sanna founded the Italian restaurant Franco’s further along Union Road in 1984, and Dom is hoping to provide a further business boost to the town.
He said: “It’s not about doing the same as everybody else. It’s about offering something else, a different experience and a different environment.
“We have lost so many pubs in the last five or six years and it’s about getting that buzz back on Union Road. I’m quite lucky that I’ve got my mum and dad’s business experience and we’ve got a good name in the town. We’ve supported Oswaldtwistle and Oswaldtwistle has supported us.
“The location is excellent. There’s a lot of renovation work to be done so I don’t want to put a timescale on when it will open.”
Dom, who lives in Oswaldtwistle, said he was inspired to set up the business after a trip to Bruges in Belgium. He said: “I absolutely fell in love with the beer culture there and the specialist beer bars.
“If you go to Manchester now they’ve got quite a lot of craft bars and Belgian bars and people are quite happy to go and try those places. However, I’m sick of having to pay to go to Manchester and pay Manchester prices or even having to go as far as Clitheroe for an interesting or different beer.”
If granted planning approval by Hyndburncouncil Tap Select will serve craft beer, speciality draught, bottled and canned beers, ciders and wines. It aims to open between 12noon and 11pm on Sunday to Thursday and 12noon to midnight Friday to Saturday.
Dom, 33, said he will miss working at Rhyddings after 13 years there, but is excited to start a new career.
He said: “It’s been great. I love Rhyddings and I’m proud to say I’ve worked here. I feel like I’ve reached an age where if I don’t try something different I don’t think I will have the opportunity to.”
