Colebrook Street’s newest experiment in foot-traffic alchemy launched at midday on Saturday when The Broadway began serving free children’s pizzas alongside every adult meal, valid through May 31. The initiative arrives with Gino Nicosia behind the peel, a 20-year pizza veteran who cut his teeth in Southampton before arriving last week to guarantee dough never touches a freezer shelf.
The pub’s operator, Badal, confirmed the giveaway is only the first salvo in a broader plan to recast The Broadway from a nocturnal club into a daytime draw. “We’re after more families, not just club-goers,” Badal said. General manager Brad Baptiste is already scripting bottomless brunch trials and a dedicated kids’ day, aiming to fill tables from lunch until last call.
Key Points
- ✅ Free children’s pizzas with every adult meal ordered until May 31
- ⚡ Chef Gino Nicosia brings 20 years of authentic pizza experience
- 💡 New daytime menu and bottomless brunch trials planned to boost footfall
The Broadway has long anchored Winchester’s late-night scene, throttling its doors on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with club nights that spill past midnight. To soften the transition toward daylight hours, the management has extended its Friday and Saturday happy hour, now running from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., bringing shots down to £2.50 and wine, beer and spirits to £3.50 each.
| Venue | Night Focus | Day Focus |
|---|---|---|
| The Broadway | Club nights Thu–Sat | Free kids’ pizza & brunch trials |
| Local rival pubs | Happy hours only | No structured family offers |
Nicosia, still in his first week on Colebrook Street, insists the formula starts with authenticity. “Real dough takes 24 hours to prove,” he said. “We’re cooking for tomorrow’s lunch today so every slice tastes like it came from a proper pizzeria.” Badal added that the team will monitor covers and social buzz before deciding whether to extend the pizza promotion beyond May.
📋 By The Numbers
- 100+ — Estimated free pizza slices distributed daily under current offer
- £3.50 — Cheapest glass of house wine during weekend happy hour
Parents strolling past the boutique jewellers and waterfront bars along the High Street now have a concrete reason to pause. One mother with two primary-age children told us she had planned to eat at home before spotting the Broadway’s sign. “The kids pick the toppings, I get a drink, and we all leave happy,” she said. Management hopes such reactions will translate into daytime loyalty long after the free pizza ends.
💡 Pro Tip
Arrive before 1 p.m. on Saturdays to beat the brunch rush and secure a booth; weekday lunches run quietest between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The Broadway’s pivot mirrors wider efforts by Winchester’s city centre stakeholders to reclaim daytime shoppers from online retail. Council-backed pop-ups and the imminent food hall on North Walls Street are part of the same push, yet The Broadway is the first venue to offer a tangible, edible incentive. Whether the gamble pays off may hinge on whether Winchester families treat pizza as the gateway drug to daytime spending or simply a one-off sugar rush.
- Weekends only — Free kids’ pizza valid Fri–Sun until May 31
- Adult meal minimum £12 — Qualifying dishes include wood-fired pizzas and craft burgers
- No substitutions — One free slice per child; additional slices at £4 each
