The Fosso Lounge in Wells will reopen for takeaway this week and the bar's general manager has praised the city for how it is coping with the coronavirus crisis.

Ashley Strong says she is delighted how the city's businesses have supported each other as her venue gets ready to open tomorrow (Friday May 15).

The Fosso Lounge will be providing a takeaway only service with a scaled down standard menu, but will be still offering an array of food from brunch to burgers along with mains such as bang bang chicken and mac and cheese.

It will be open for collection only from 10am to 2pm and then from 5pm to 9pm seven days a week.

Orders can be placed over the phone on 01749 676127 in advance or can be placed for ASAP collection.

Ashley told Wells Nub News: "It's been wonderful to see many independent businesses still up and running in the current climate.

"This difficult time hit many of us for six and I think considering the circumstances, Wells has shown a great strength and support for one another.

"We hope that each venue is able to open up and continue trading as before, once we are able to safely do so.

"With self-isolation and quarantine still very much a reality, we are also taking this opportunity to support our local charity Heads Up - during our takeaway trial period we will be donating 50p from the sale of every main course and burger.

"Heads Up is a mental health charity based in South Horrington, where they provide activity-based learning and development workshops for individuals with mental health needs, including adults with dementia, learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Alongside this we will also be offering a 25 per cent discount on food for all NHS staff."

The Fosso Lounge is part of the Lounges group, which was founded in 2002 by a trio of long standing friends - Dave Reid, Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop.

Having spent years in the restaurant and bar trade – not to mention just as many propping up the bars in Bristol (in the name of research, of course) – they decided it was time they did their own thing.

The motivation was simple and they admit very selfish - they wanted somewhere to drink themselves.

Ashley said: "Now with Lounges spread up and down the country, the company has gone from strength to strength.

"Since opening here in Wells, we received a very warm welcome from the local community and neighbouring businesses.

"Custom grew rapidly and following on from what was a very busy first month, people were kind enough to repeatedly visit and lounge with us.

"It was an incredibly hard decision to close the lounge. Our chief executives got together and decided that we had a moral and social responsibility to play our part in helping defeat coronavirus.

"As much as we wanted to be a force for good in communities at a difficult time and did trial a change in trading hours and safety guidelines – we saw the pressing matter of protecting our communities as well as our employees, which ultimately resulted in our full closure."

And Ashley and her team are looking forward to reopening for takeaway and going back to some sense of normality.

"We would like all our customers and neighbours to know that we really are missing them and we cannot wait to be able to welcome them back and be up and running again," she said.

"Although things aren't quite back to normal yet, we hope that by offering people this new take away service, we can create a bit of lounging for you at home. Our one request for everyone would be to stay safe, social distance and look after one another."