New beat for the Old Bill

BIGGER and better . . . Paolo Bissolati, with partner Louise Crabtree and children Baden Bissolati (left) and Zachary Bissolati, outside the new home of the Old Bill restaurant in Greaves Street, Oldham

ONE of Oldham’s best-loved and longest established restaurants is moving.

The Old Bill is relocating lock, stock and two smoking grill pans to the former Townhouse premises in Greaves Street.

“I will be moving the look, the feel, the atmosphere, the decor, the menu and the staff,” said owner Paolo Bissolati, who established the Old Bill — so named for its proximity to Oldham police headquarters — in 1995 with his father Marco.

The family, from Huddersfield, have made a huge success of the 40-cover Old Bill, with its English cuisine offering a continental twist, in the intervening 15 years.

Now Paolo is keen to take the next step and has invested around £250,000 in the move to the former Townhouse building.

He added: “I have been looking for at least 18 months for new premises. I had to have a building with character, excellent parking and the right location.”

Work is continuing on refitting the former 55-cover restaurant, which was run by Tony and Judy Greenwood, who retired two years ago.

Paolo expects to be open in early March but refuses to set a date as he wants the transformation to be complete before relaunching the new Old Bill.

His father Marco, like Paolo a fully-qualified chef, will continue to run the current restaurant — which will be rebranded as Bisso’s — with Paolo’s younger siblings Rossella and Enrico helping their father.

Paolo is eagerly anticipating his move to the three-storey Greaves Street building, where his plans include transforming the downstairs into a cocktail bar and creating a modern venue for events in the first-floor space.

He said: “I am excited by this and it will be a success.”