A family-run Italian restaurant in Worcester city centre is set to expand into a new ‘Italian Quarter’ with the help of a £200,000 business loan.
Benedictos, founded in 2003 by Gaetano Cinao and Gianluca Tilotta, has secured funding from BCRS Business Loans.
The money will be used to launch a new Italian wine bar, café, and four boutique guest rooms, alongside expanding its current restaurant space.
Mr Cinao said: “After Covid, the business had the opportunity to reset and look at our plans for growth.
“We realised we needed to diversify to encourage weekday trade, good quality accommodation and a dedicated area for customers to have a drink before their meal.
“This is where our plan to create a wine bar, café and accommodation came to fruition.”
The funding will also support an increase in seating capacity from 130 to 145, the introduction of a new lunchtime menu, and extended opening hours.
The expansion is expected to create six new jobs over the next 12 months, growing the team from 25 to 31 employees.
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Mr Cinao praised the support provided by BCRS Business Loans.
He said: “BCRS were great and took the time to understand the business and our vision for the future.
“We know that in the hospitality industry you can’t sit still and so we are always planning ahead to keep up with trends, new ways of engaging with our customers and diversifying our offering.
“We’re incredibly proud of how far Benedicto’s has come and the funding from BCRS has allowed us to realise our vision and grow the business further.”
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Angie Preece, senior business development manager at BCRS, said: “We’re delighted to support Benedictos as they take this exciting next step in their growth journey.
“This loan will help them diversify their offering, increase capacity and welcome even more customers through their doors.
“At BCRS, we’re committed to backing ambitious SMEs that make a real difference in their communities, and Benedicto’s is a perfect example of that.”
