Nutters restaurant celebrates 20 years in business

Nutters Restaurant celebrates 20 years in business

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Nutters restaurant has celebrated its 20th birthday after originally opening in 1993.

On Saturday 3 August 2013, the restaurant hosted a kaleidoscope-themed birthday party to recognise its 20 years of success.

The celebrations took place in the grounds which surround the building in the style of a garden fete.

As guests arrived, they were greeted by Rossendale Dance and Drama Centre, who were dressed as clowns, lining the driveway and providing vibrant entertainment.

Restaurant owner and chef, Andrew Nutter described the event as very ‘colourful’ and ‘eccentric’ with activities such as ‘welly-throwing’ and street-styled stalls supplying a range of foods from scallops to his famous black pudding wantons.

Inside, Nutters had created their very own ‘sweet shop’ much to the excitement of the adults too!

Rochdale Online takes a look at how the restaurant first started.

Celebrity chef, Andrew, started his career at the young age of 15 with a six year apprenticeship. With the backing of his family, he has since become an exciting influence in the culinary world with an array of prestigious awards.

He spent three years training at London’s Savoy Hotel and then moved on to spend two years in France.

Whilst working in France, Andrew settled on the idea of opening up his own restaurant with a friend in France. On hearing about a vacant property in Rochdale, Andrew’s dad persuaded him to check it out before making any decisions.

The award-winning chef told Rochdale Online that the building, on the former site of the New Inn pub in Norden, was lonely and vandalised. After putting in a bid with the brewery, 21-year-old Andrew and his family became the proud owners of The French Connection. Two years later they decided to re-name it to Nutters. Before long the restaurant was thriving as people spread the word.

Andrew says: “It just snowballed rapidly. We didn’t advertise. People just came and then would spread it by word of mouth.”

As the demand grew, so did the need for more space. After 10 years and with only 40 seats available, it became apparent that they needed to expand.

Business had slowed for the Whitbread Group, hence an 18th century manor house in Norden became available and in 2003, the Wolstenholme Manor, on Edenfield Road, became the new home for the restaurant, with six and a half acres of stunning grounds. 

Andrew's awards include:

• Lancashire Chef of the Year
• Young Mancunian Business Man of the Year
• Outstanding Achievement Award at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival

Those lovers of the restaurant needn’t fear about Andrew outgrowing Rochdale.

He tells us: “I love the site; there is so much we can do with the grounds in terms of big events such as weddings or parties.”