A RESCUE deal is on the cards for a well-known Italian restaurant in East Lancashire.

Administrators say a sale has been arranged for Tre Ciccio, in Market Place, Ramsbottom, along with a sister site in Altrincham.

Sixty jobs are said to have been saved by the fledgling arrangement with new investors, Acorn 20 Ltd.

Owner Francesco Scarfuri previously said that the administration was only “temporary” and the two restaurants have continued trading throughout.

And Mr Scarfuri, who launched the restaurant along with his friends James Gingell and Alan Ritchie, urged customers to keep faith with their Neapolitan-style cuisine.

In a statement released on behalf of the eateries, it was said: “Tre Ciccio has been acquired by Acorn 20 Ltd with new investors and will be led by Ian Templeton who will assume the role of non-executive chairman and financial director.”

Administrator Patrick Lannagan added: “The sales of the businesses and assets of Tre Ciccio’s Altrincham and Ramsbottom restaurants were completed....securing 60 jobs. Both have been sold as going concerns.

“The companies themselves remain in administration and the administrators will be writing to creditors with their reports and proposals over the coming weeks.

“We are now proceeding to deal with the potential sale of the presently closed Bramhall restaurant.

“We have expressions of interest and would hope that a sale will conclude over the coming days with a view to it reopening under new ownership soon.”

He has been acting on behalf of Tre Ciccio Ramsbottom Ltd, Tre Ciccio Altrincham Ltd and Tre Ciccio Bramhall Ltd alongside his colleague Conrad Pearson since their January 21 appointment.

The Bramhall restaurant was closed as soon as the administrators, Mazars, were drafted in. Plans had also previously been discussed by the chain to open a fourth restaurant in Chester.

The Market Place location in Ramsbottom has a longstanding history as a culinary destination, having previously housed Ramsons.

Work was carried out to create a roof terrace before Tre Ciccio launched there last March.