Marco Pancetti is marking six months as owner of The Corner House in Stroud, completing a major step in an 11-year journey that began in a small Tuscan village and led to Gloucestershire’s restaurant trade.
Marco first came to the UK 11 years ago from Foresto, in Garfagnana, Tuscany. His aim was to pursue a career as a pizza chef, but the move also brought changes to his personal life. While working in restaurants, he met Kat, who would later become the mother of his children.
His connection with The Corner House goes back to the beginning of the business. Marco has been at the heart of the restaurant since it opened its doors in 2017, spending almost a decade running it before formally taking over six months ago.
A new chapter for the Stroud restaurant
Taking ownership has brought a demanding start, with Marco describing the first six months as a period filled with unexpected developments. Despite those pressures, he said he had no regrets about taking on the business.
“It’s been a full-on six months and full of surprises, but I’m very happy to have done this,” he said.
The change in ownership represents the biggest step so far in Marco’s career at The Corner House. His long involvement with the restaurant means the new owner already has extensive experience of its day-to-day operation, as well as established links with the staff and customers who have supported it over the years.
Marco said the business had a clear future direction. Rather than setting out a detailed programme of changes, he described his intention as restoring The Corner House to the position where he believes it belongs.
“The plan for the future is to bring it back to where I know we belong,” he said.
Focus on staff, customers and the community
For Marco, the next stage is also about maintaining the restaurant’s role in the local community. He wants to build on that connection while continuing to work alongside the employees and customers who have helped support The Corner House during its history.
He thanked both groups for their backing since he became owner, while making clear that the work of developing the restaurant is not finished.
“I would like to thank all the support I’ve received from my staff and all our customers. “There’s still plenty to do, but I’m very excited about the future and what we can achieve together.”
The ownership milestone follows a career that has taken Marco from Foresto in the mountains of Tuscany to the head of a local restaurant. Six months into that new responsibility, he is looking ahead to the next phase of The Corner House and aiming to build a future for the business that reflects its established place in the community.
The update was published by Stroud Times on September 10, 2026.