A BOSS at a new Italian restaurant in Kendal says he hopes the eatery will 'put some life back into the town'.

Director Nick Ward said Sapore was focusing on 'authentic' cuisine and had moved away from 'Anglicanised' Italian cooking.

The eatery in Stramongate has occupied the site of the former Little Italy restaurant, which closed in June. Sapore welcomed the public for the first time on Tuesday.

"As an Italian restaurant, it's got a long history," said Mr Ward, 51, who has embarked on the venture with business partner Giuseppe Sepe, 32.

"Everybody you speak to in Kendal has a story to tell about either Paulo Giannis [another former name of the restaurant] or Little Italy.

"We are hoping to build on that and put some life back into the town."

Mr Ward and Mr Sepe, who live in Windermere, are already the directors of three other eateries - Urban Food House in Bowness, Hooked in Windermere, and The Estuary in Grange.

Mr Ward said Kendal would offer them a 'year-round business foundation'.

"We have always wanted to do an Italian, and we wanted to do something in Kendal," he said.

He acknowledged getting Sapore ready to open in just ten weeks had constituted 'quite a quick turnaround', but stressed any redesign work in the building had been limited.

"The actual building itself, there wasn't a great deal wrong with it," he said.

"A few tweaks and touches here and there, and then it was just business planning and recruitment.

"We have brightened it up.

"We have introduced some new lighting - it was quite dark before."

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Ward said the restaurant's opening day had been a busy one - although it has been operating at a reduced capacity for the first week to bed staff in.

Bookings at Sapore are preferred and can be made by visiting tinyurl.com/23493mbt.