Custom at a Bolton café has exploded after its starring role on a hit BBC drama.
Amico Cafe was featured in a key scene in BBC's Happy Valley, which is being watched by millions of viewers.
The town centre cafe has always been a hit with customers and now its national showcase is attracting even more custom.
The café was the setting for a confrontation between main character Sgt Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, and her sister, Clare played by Siobhan Finneran.
Now customers cannot help but ask which table the two sat at, and the cafe, thrilled with its showcase, has even created its own ‘Happy Valley sandwich’ to add to the menu.
Read more: Bolton viewers of hit show Happy Valley spot some familiar sights
The popular crime drama returned to the nation’s screens for its third series this month.
The series, although set over the border in Yorkshire, has been shot at multiple locations in Bolton town centre, including Deansgate One Stop Shop in the town centre and Market Place Shopping Centre.
John Cavanagh, aged 24, from Great Lever, is the manager at Amico Café.
He said: “It’s been a lot busier, we’ve had a lot of people coming in asking which table it was at.
“It gives us a chance to stand there and have a chat with the customers. We get some people coming in and saying they have to sit at the table where they were sat.
“I watched a little bit of it, I watched it on and off and then obviously watched season three, with the café.”
He continued: “It’s really good, you don’t realise how big a part is in a series.
“You think with it being January, it’s the beginning of the year, everyone is going to be skint and it’s going to be quiet.
Read more: Filming for new Netflix crime drama takes place in Bolton
“But it has been a lot busier.”
John added: “The production crew took over the café and everyone got the day off, which is nice. It was rearranged on the series.
“It would have been nice to work or meet some of the cast, but it’s not everyday you’re kicked out of the shop so they can film something.
“The owners have a flat above the shop, they got told not to come down because they were filming.”
He spoke on what it would mean for Bolton, saying: “Personally, I think it helps. In Bolton a lot of shops have closed down, M&S, that’s been here for years.
“They filmed Peaky Blinders around the corner, it’s nice for there to still be some culture of some form coming out of Bolton.
“Manchester is massive so shops can stay open more easily, but for Bolton it’s nice to stay open to give the community a little something, even if it’s just for breakfast and coffee and a chat.”
John said the filming inspired its new addition to the menu.
He said: “We were thinking about it after, what might go on it, we don’t want it too expensive it’s something that can promote that we have been on the show.
“We thought of what to put on it and got the kitchen to rustle one up. It’s just a hefty sandwich!
“We used to get busy between 11am and 2pm and that was it. Now it’s more erratic, we could be busy at 10, then it will drop for 20 minutes, then we’ll be busy again.”
Read more: Lights, camera, action for Bolton which retains its title as Hollywood of the North
Town centre newsagent Deansgate One Stop Shop was also seen in the show, with Tommy Lee Royce (played by James Norton) using it as a cut-through.
Gabriela Zielenska, who works at the shop, said: “They filmed here in the summertime, probably around September.
“They came to us in the morning, about 9am, and they stopped filming at about 4pm. It was short action (in the show), but long hours.
“Yesterday, many people came by and said they saw us on the TV. They asked where I was in the shot, I was just hiding behind the counter.
“This person, he’s a really nice person, the actor (James Norton). He’s friendly, he spoke with us about his story and about working.
“They wanted to remove the window at the back but it was too much work.
Read more: ITV's This Morning look back at segment featuring Bolton as new 'Hollywood'
“He stopped there (out the front). And then ran out of the other side of the shop.”
Amico Café’s Happy Valley sandwich
Given the buzz around town following its appearance in the show, we decided to head down to Amico Café to try their Happy Valley sandwich.
The sandwich, described as ‘hefty’ by manager John Cavanagh, is big enough to make two meals.
The ingredients are chicken, salami, prosciutto, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, black olives, rocket, red chillies and spicy sauce, all served in Amico’s gourmet ciabatta bread.
The sandwich comes with a side salad for the price of £8.95, and you can add chips or sweet potato fries for £2.95.
The sandwich, frankly, tasted amazing. The saltiness of the meats melded well with the creaminess of the mozzarella.
This fused with the sweetness of the roasted red peppers and the spicy sauce, as well as the sharpness of the olives and the rocket, made for a tantalising overall flavour.
My sweet potato fries were also great and the salad made for a nice accompaniment, but I couldn’t handle much of it as the sandwich was quite big.
Overall, I’d wholly recommend the sandwich, get yourself down to Amico as soon as possible!
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