The former manager of P.Franco has launched a crowdfunder to reopen the wine shop and kitchen after its sudden closure earlier this month.
Will Gee wrote on his fundraising page, which went live on Thursday, that seeing P.Franco close its doors permanently wasn’t something he was “willing to accept”.
He said: “Seeing the response from the public was incredibly moving. Its [P.Franco’s] impact over the last nine years has been made so clear by all the messages of support and desire for something to be done.
“P.Franco has been more than just a wine bar. It’s been an international meeting place for wine makers, drinkers and lovers since 2014. Over time it evolved into a space not just to drink.
“With a list of some of the best chefs cooking here, it’s been a place of exploration and discovery for the city’s food scene. It has been, in my opinion, a creatively vital platform and I hope to keep it this way.”
P.Franco, along with its sister restaurant Bright and the group’s wine shop Noble Fine Liquor, shut down on March 15, surprising hordes of loyal diners.
The specific reasons for the closure of the group have been unclear. Gee wrote on his Crowdfunder that it came about as a result of unexpected financial difficulties.
He is now looking to raise £30,000 to reopen P.Franco as a standalone operation — unaffiliated to the original business — and would use the money to fund rental costs, maintenance work, and the restocking of equipment and stock.
Gee also said that William Gleave and Phil Bracey, who helped found the original P.Franco concept, have given him their blessing in trying to relaunch the space and “move forward.”
