Gary Usher reveals plans to crowdfund for Kala

Restaurateur Gary Usher has announced plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign for his Manchester site Kala.

The hotel and restaurant was due to open last year; it is now due to open 1 May with Usher confirming he would be launching a Kickstarter to crowdfund £100,000 for the project on Monday 11 March at 9pm.

Usher's last Kickstarter project, which aimed to raise £50,000 in 24 hours to help launch Pinion restaurant in Prescot, smashed its target in just one hour and finished the stint having raised £86,624 pledged by 1,193 backers.

"This one is completely unorganised and unplanned," said Usher, posting on Twitter.

"I planned not to do a crowdfund for this project but… we are £100,00 short on the build," he explained in a previous Instagram post.

Usher launched his restaurant group Elite Bistros of the World with Sticky Walnut which opened in Hoole, Chester, in 2011. Burnt Truffle followed in July 2015 after securing more than £100,000 through Usher's first Kickstarter campaign. Didsbury-based Hispi followed suit, receiving nearly £60,000 in pledges.

In May 2017, Usher raised more than £200,000 from 1,522 backers for his fourth restaurant, Wreckfish, in Liverpool. It is believed to be the most money ever raised for a restaurant through a crowdfunding campaign in the UK.

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