ITALIAN cousins who made pizza in their aunt’s back garden are having to move after, they say, a complaint was made.

Dino Clark, Connor Close and Callum Tombs used an authentic pizza oven the family built themselves in their aunt Antonia Sotgiu's garden in Harwood.

But after a year of making pizza, the small family business, Cugini Pizza, is no longer allowed to operate there and will now work from Edgworth Cricket Club on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bolton Council assessed the property to see if there was more traffic due to the business or any structural changes to property as well as change of use.

 

Callum Tombs, Connor Close and Dino Clark in Bolton.

Callum Tombs, Connor Close and Dino Clark in Bolton.

 

Connor said: “A few weeks ago we have been receiving complaints from a neighbour about the traffic and the smoke from the pizza oven.

"It smokes when you first start it but then that’s it, because it’s hot."

An officer from Bolton Council visited the house to inspect whether it was appropriate to serve up pizza in the garden and has since told the cousins they would need to apply for planning permission.

Connor said: “The council said that even if we applied for planning permission we wouldn’t get it, so what’s the point in that?"

Cugini Pizza finished operating at the old location two weeks ago and the cousins are now looking forward to welcoming people at Edgworth Cricket Club.

 

Callum Tombs, Connor Close and Dino Clark in Bolton.

Callum Tombs, Connor Close and Dino Clark in Bolton.

 

Connor said: “We are thankful we have somewhere to go, but if it wasn’t for that, we’d be devastated.

“It brought us all together but now we’ll be away from our home. It’s where we started but we won’t get too down about, we just must move on.”

The pizza-making cousins say they have no other complaints from other neighbours, who they say have been nothing but kind to them, and the boys even delivered free pizza to everyone.

A spokesman for the Bolton Council said: “This case would require a planning application for change of use.

“The planning process would consider issues including location, smoke disturbance and a number of other factors.”

Connor said: “Before it was a but of fun but now it’s more serious and we have overheads and rent to pay."

Cugini’s is open from 5pm to 9pm.