The owner of Lo Rapitenc, the Spanish deli and tapas bar on Frome’s Cheap Street, will be appearing on Spanish television for the Catalan region, sharing his experience of living and setting up a business in Frome.
Marc Brunet Pascual has been filming in the town with a Spanish television team, documenting his experience of what it is like to live abroad in Frome, as a Spanish man from Catalonia.
Marc, who moved to Frome with his family seven years ago said, “I find people in Frome and Somerset really open minded. People have been so welcoming and when they come into the deli especially, they are really intrigued by the food we have and want to try new things.”
Before moving to Frome, Marc lived in Bristol making a living through driving boats and fishing.
Sharing his thoughts about similarities between Frome and his home town in Catalonia Marc said, “Well, my hometown is by the seaside, so that’s different. The people in my hometown are welcoming, hardworking people who farm and fish. I feel like that is a similarity with Frome and somerset, that the people here are hardworking and very welcoming. I have made so many friends here.”
Lo Rapitenc opened on Cheap Street one year ago and is navigating business in the current cost of living crisis. Marc said, “Business in the town has been tough at the moment, after Covid I was expecting everyone to want to go out and party, but we’ve gone straight into another crisis and people are scared of what is coming. It’s hard and the general feeling around is that the high street is hard.”
To mark Lo Rapitenc’s first birthday in Frome, a celebration event was held on Saturday 22nd October. A musical duo filled the bar with Spanish music whilst customers danced, ate free tapas and raised a glass to sing happy birthday to the bar.
The series Marc is filming for will air on a television channel for the Catalonia region towards the end of next year.
Pictured: Marc and his wife at the celebration event
