An Italian restaurant in Oxford’s Cowley Road has closed three years after opening.

Fratelli’s opened in the busy road in September 2008 in the premises formerly occupied by the city’s oldest Italian restaurant, La Capannina.

It was run by the management team of Summertown’s Mamma Mia, James Reilly and Martin Bunce, who left the pizzeria to start up their own venture.

After opening Fratelli’s, the pair also opened an American-style burger restaurant, Atomic Burger, in Cowley Road in October 2009.

Mr Bunce said the intention was to open a new restaurant on the Fratelli’s site.

He said: “Fratelli’s had reached a point in its lifecycle where it was no longer doing what it was meant to do.

“With huge increases in food costs and the fact less people were coming out to Fratelli’s, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep it fresh and exciting.

“For that reason, we took the decision now was the time that unfortunately Fratelli’s had to close.”

He said the pair had really enjoyed running the restaurant, but said for it to continue as a viable prospect, major changes would have had to be made.

Mr Bunce said: “Rather than do that, we decided it was time rejuvenate the building, look at how we do things and possibly launch under a new name so it’s something fresh and exciting.”

He said the details of the new restaurant were currently under discussion.