Santa’s Pizza: Here's the story behind the Burnley, Nelson and Preston takeaway's quirky name

Ishrat Mehdi and Edward Cook of Santa's Pizza collect the Takeaway of the Year accolade in the Food Awards England 2015.

Santa’s Pizza has been whetting appetites for more than 30 years, being the go-to takeaway for many families across Lancashire.

Many households will even mark the start of the festive period when they receive their annual Christmas card from Santa[‘s Pizza].

What is the story behind the takeaway’s name?

Santa’s story began in 1990 when a Palestinian man who had been living in the United States moved to Burnley. He intended to open a takeaway named Pizza Centre and ordered a large exterior shop sign.

When it arrived, there before him was a laughing Santa sitting proudly on a sign that read Pizza Santa.

The name stuck, with the team embracing it by sending out Christmas cards to their customers, signed by Santa.

And it seems everyone wants a piece of Santa, with venues later opening in Nelson, Accrington, Blackburn and Preston.