Crust.k

01/10/2026

The signs are up. 👀🌿

You can officially spot crust ⓚ from the road now.
It’s a small thing in the grand scheme of everything we’re doing, but seeing our name up there somehow makes it all feel a little more real.

There’s still plenty happening behind those doors, and plenty still to do, but slowly it’s all starting to come together.

crust ⓚ | Billingham Beck
Opening Autumn 2026.

29/09/2026

A LITTLE PROGRESS UPDATE - It’s been a few weeks since we’ve properly walked you around crust ⓚ and when you’re here every day it’s sometimes hard to see just how much has changed.

Still plenty to do, but it’s definitely starting to feel like a restaurant now.

I also need to mention my incredible wife, who somehow continues to put up with all my ideas. 😂 She works all week, then spends her weekends down here helping me build a restaurant. I genuinely couldn’t do this without her. ❤️

And a big thank you to Ryan at New Phase Home Innovations for getting stuck in and helping us move things along too.

The support from everyone following the build has been amazing and yes, we know the question everyone keeps asking…

When are you opening?! We actually have a date in mind…

We’re just not ready to share it until we’re confident we can get everything finished in time.
But we’re getting close.

Anyway… have a look around. A fair bit has changed.

crust ⓚ | Billingham Beck
Opening Autumn 2026

22/09/2026

Apparently it’s my turn… 👋🏼
If you’ve been following for a while, you’ve probably already seen enough of me covered in dust, moving ridiculously heavy pizza ovens and questioning my life choices.

But for anyone new here, I’m James.

About 5 years ago I decided converting a horse trailer into a pizza van would make a good side hustle. I liked cooking, I liked socialising… what could possibly go wrong?

For the first couple of years ran alongside my proper job, with plenty of nights spent serving pizzas right here at Billingham Beck.

Then I realised I actually quite liked this hospitality thing. Mainly the customers. So naturally, instead of just enjoying my nice little side hustle, I quit my job, took a risk and opened crust Norton. 😂

Fast forward a few years and apparently that still wasn’t enough, because now we’re building this place.

And in a nice bit of full circle chaos, is still serving at Billingham Beck while we build crust ⓚ just across the car park.

Was opening a restaurant always the master plan? Absolutely not. I’m not sure there has ever been a master plan.

It’s been a slightly ridiculous way of getting here, but that’s probably quite fitting for me. Life’s too short to sit wondering whether you should have done something, and I’ve always thrived on giving myself another challenge.

Anyway… here’s a little more about me and how one questionable horse trailer purchase somehow led to all this. 👀

20/09/2026

Starting to see it come together now. 👀
Deep greens, warm timber, the tiles, furniture, lighting… there have been a ridiculous number of decisions behind the scenes to get to this point.

Some we planned months ago, others are slightly more… ad hoc, as we look around the space and decide what feels right.

But slowly, what we had in our heads is starting to make its way into the building.
Still plenty to do.

This must be the place. 🌿

17/09/2026

Amelia’s back… and apparently she’s giving the tours now…
Quite a lot has changed since we last showed you properly around crust ⓚ.

The bar is taking shape, the kitchen is coming together and, dare we say it, it’s actually starting to look like a restaurant. 👀

Thank you for all the support while we’ve been building this. The comments, messages and excitement about opening have been pretty amazing to see.

Anyway, come inside and have a look around.

crust ⓚ | Billingham Beck
Opening Autumn 2026

14/09/2026

Well… crust ⓚ has made the papers again. 👀

Another little milestone in the build, with The Northern Echo sharing the latest on how the restaurant is taking shape.

There’s still plenty happening behind the scenes, but it’s starting to feel a lot more like the place we’ve been picturing from the beginning.

And Amelia’s officially made the headline photo this time too.

Autumn 2026. We’re getting there.

this must be the place. 🤝🏻

'It's not going to be 'just another pizza restaurant'

13/09/2026

So… where actually is crust ⓚ?
We’ve had quite a few questions about exactly where you’ll find us, so here’s a quick tour.

We’re tucked away in Billingham Beck Valley Country Park, but we’re actually incredibly easy to get to.

Just off the A19, easy to reach from across and beyond, with free parking right outside.

So you get the best of both worlds, easy to find, easy to park, but once you’re here, you’re surrounded by the Beck and the country park. 🌿

Hopefully this gives you a better idea of where we’ll soon be calling home.
📍 Beck Valley Country Park, Teesside

Opening Autumn 2026. 🍂🍁

11/09/2026

THE TEAM IS TAKING SHAPE. 👀

Things are moving pretty quickly behind the scenes at crust ⓚ.
We’re really excited to have our Head Chef in place. We’re keeping who it is under wraps for a little longer, but it’s an appointment we’re genuinely proud of. We think it says a lot about the direction we’re taking crust ⓚ and the kind of food offering we want to create.

We’re already working together on the menu, taking the ideas we’ve had for crust ⓚ from the beginning and turning them into the dishes we’ll eventually be putting in front of you.
Now we’re looking for two more key people to join us from the beginning.

SOUS CHEF🧑🏻‍🍳
We’re looking for an experienced chef to work closely alongside our Head Chef and become a big part of the kitchen team.

Someone who cares about quality, consistency and doing things properly. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved from the start, contribute ideas and help shape how the kitchen operates as we grow.

FOH / BARISTA SUPERVISOR ☕️🍸
We’re also looking for someone experienced and confident front of house who can help us deliver the same standards outside the kitchen.

Great with people, comfortable making proper coffee and happy working across daytime service, evenings and drinks. Someone who can take responsibility on shift and help us build the kind of relaxed, welcoming service we want crust ⓚ to be known for.

We’re building a brand new restaurant and we want people who are excited by the opportunity to get involved at the beginning and grow with it.

📍 Billingham Beck, Teesside
🕐 Full time positions
🍴 Opening Autumn 2026

Interested? Drop us a message with a little about yourself and your experience.

Or know someone who’d be perfect? Tag them below.

08/09/2026

Starting to see it now? 👀

The bar. The open kitchen. The pizza oven. And, of course, the olive tree taking centre stage.

There’s still a way to go, but this is the vision we’ve had in our heads for crust ⓚ from the beginning and bit by bit, we’re bringing it to life.

This must be the place. 🌿

06/09/2026

A taste of what’s to come at crust ⓚ. 👀
Good ingredients, handmade dough, plenty of olive oil and the kind of food we actually want to eat.

We’re still behind the scenes building the space, testing, tasting and working on the menu, but this should give you a little idea of where we’re heading.

Consider this your first little taste. 🍕🫒