Wigan cafe’s triumph in £25k makeover contest

Cafe Santos, on Mesnes Street, was one of three eateries across the country to come out on top in the contest run by Deliveroo.

The town centre takeaway captured the hearts of the public and is now set for a major spruce up.

Cafe Santos owner Ash Sherafatian, who runs the business with his wife Farnaz, spoke of being overwhelmed by the victory and said it marked a new chapter in the company’s story.

Ash said: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you Deliveroo and our customers for this opportunity.

“I can’t describe with words how we feel right now. This will be a new lifeline for our business.”

Deliveroo’s Restaurant Makeover project was set up to offer support both to independent restaurants and eateries and to the British high street.

Ash previously told the Wigan Post that if Cafe Santos won he wanted to drastically change the look of the interior.

He said he hoped to spend the winnings on a new counter and floor as well as new tables.

Businesses entering the competition have the choice of spending the £25,000 winnings on a combination of work on the premises or new equipment.

Cafe Santos serves up a range of traditional breakfasts and lunches including sandwiches, jacket potatoes and pizzas.

The other two winners of the contest were eateries in Leicester and Glasgow.

Deliveroo says the competition is just one of a number of ways it has helped restaurants and takeaways since its launch in 2013.

The courier service says it has created around 25,000 in the industry, with almost one in three of those in the independent sector.