Connor Hilton said his business has been in the pipeline for years
Connor Hilton from New Brighton’s Hella Dough Pizza.(Image: Andrew Teebay)
A man has said his life changed after making a trip to London for work. Connor Hilton, from New Brighton, was at the country’s capital for a convention when he tried food that would inspire him to change career.
The then sales-manager sampled some woodfired pizza, and after doing so, was determined to make his own in his hometown in the Wirral. Fast forward to today, and Connor is doing exactly that.
The 34-year-old is the brains behind Hella Dough, a pizza kitchen hidden in the back of Rockpoint Records. The business owner told the ECHO: “That day in London just changed everything.
“That was eight years ago and I can still taste the pizza to this day – it was amazing and I thought that’s how it should taste absolutely everywhere.
Connor Hilton, from New Brighton, said he wants to take Hella Dough Pizza all over the country (Image: Andrew Teebay)
“Fast forward to now and we are celebrating our first year in business. It has been years in the making, a slow and steady journey. I’m not a chef at all so I learned everything from scratch so it has taken some time to get to where we are now.
“The reaction and support has been overwhelming. I never backed myself at first, but now I’m starting to understand and believe that I can do this. I have a great product so why shouldn’t I take it forward.”
Connor has spent the last few years of his life looking after his nan, Audrey, before she died in 2024. This meant he wasn’t able to get the business off the ground as quickly as he would’ve liked. Nonetheless, he explained he wouldn’t change anything about the journey.
Connor Hilton said Hella Dough Pizza was years in the making (Image: Andrew Teebay)
He said: “I was spending so much time with my nan. I didn’t have the time to put into a business, really but I started it anyway. It was going for a few months before she died and I’d come home every Saturday with food for her, and it got to the point where she was sick of eating them.
“She absolutely loved the idea. She would be made up with it now. I took the time out of my life to care for her, and still do my own thing at the same time. She was a massive advocate for the business.”
Connor said the secret to his success so far is “keeping everything simple”. He prepares the dough himself and then it’s just up to the oven to cook it in one minute and 20 seconds.
The menu, overhauled in the last few weeks in line with the birthday celebrations, is made up of hot honey chicken, salt and pepper and Nutella and Oreo options.
Connor Hilton from New Brighton’s Hella Dough Pizza is found inside Rockpoint records(Image: Andrew Teebay)
He added: “Dan Davies, who has regenerated Victoria Road and transformed the local area, bought a top pizza oven and it just sat there for ages.
“He suggested I run a pizza business from the back of Rockpoint Records as the venue didn’t have a food offering, so I worked hard to learn the art of being a pizza chef and it’s paid off as people love our pizzas and keep coming back.”
Connor is in the works of converting a fan to take Hella Dough mobile. In the near future, he, alongside his two staff members, hopes to take bookings for festivals, day-events and weddings. He said: “The world is my oyster really.”