Benedictos restaurant secured £200k funding from both the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II (MEIF II) and the Community Investment Enterprise Fund (CIEF) to expand the business by adding a new Italian wine bar, café and four boutique guest rooms to its existing premises.

Established by co-owners Gaetano Cinao and Gianluca Tilotta in 2003, Benedictos is an authentic Italian restaurant that has grown significantly over the years, adding two additional floors to host events and increase capacity, as well as creating an outdoor seating terrace and hosting wine tasting evenings.

The funding will enable Benedictos to boost revenue by increasing seating capacity from 130 to 145 and extending opening hours with the addition of an Italian café, wine bar and new lunchtime menu.

The expansion will also create job opportunities in Worcester, with the business expected to grow its headcount from 25 to 31 over the next 12 months. Staff development is a high priority for the business, with many of its long-serving colleagues progressing into management roles.

Owner Gaetano 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.

“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.”

BCRS Business Loans senior business development manager Angie Preece added: “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.”

BCRS Business Loans provides funding between £10,000 and £250,000 to SMEs across the West Midlands and Wales who are unable to access the finance they need from traditional sources.

Since 2002 BCRS Business Loans has delivered more than 2,300 loans totalling over £110m in funds, generating more than £500m in economic impact.