Carlo’s new venue offers Clitheroe a touch of Italy

A well-known Clitheroe licensee is bringing a taste of Italy to the town with a new upmarket Italian wine bar and café.

Carlo Graziani, who already owns and operates The Parlour, a popular cocktail bar on Westgate in Clitheroe, has now opened ‘Shawbridge’ on Shawbridge Street in the town centre. 

Shawbridge is an intimate wine bar and café that also offers a delicatessen counter selling traditional Italian dried goods, including exclusive pastas, cheeses, cured meats and Italian wines. Carlo has recruited four waiters and bar staff to help manage the new the café which has capacity for 50 people.

Before establishing the venue, Carlo operated a temporary ‘pop up’ bar at the same site during the festive season. Named ‘Miracle on Shawbridge’ it proved popular during the Christmas period, encouraging him to create a permanent venue there.

Carlo is well known for his skills as a cocktail mixologist and is often called upon by hospitality venues and brands across the North West and beyond to create bespoke cocktails and train bar staff.

Discussing his new venture, Carlo said: “My vision for Shawbridge is to create a cosmopolitan place with an Italian feel to attract a discerning clientele. Clitheroe is a town with a very diverse mixture of people and I see Shawbridge as the ‘go to’ for people to meet and enjoy a drink all in a continental and friendly atmosphere.”

Carlo secured Shawbridge’s premises licence with help from the leisure and licensing team at Lancashire-based law firm Harrison Drury solicitors. Partner Malcolm Ireland, head of the leisure and licensing team, previously helped Carlo to secure his premises licence for The Parlour.

Malcolm said: “Carlo is genuinely talented at what he does. He’s well-known in the industry and has made a great success of The Parlour, which has been in operation since 2016 and is a popular and unique offering in the town. I have no doubt that he will have the same success with Shawbridge and I look forward to supporting him in future ventures too.”

Carlo added: “Malcolm was instrumental in helping me secure the necessary premises licence for Shawbridge. I hope to open similar outlets in other towns and will be calling on Harrison Drury again to support my future ventures.”

Shawbridge is open seven days a week from 10am to 6pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 11.30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10am to 10pm on Sunday.