10 Brixton restaurants share £50,000 grant as part of Dine Local programme
BY PALOMA LACY
charlie@slpmedia.co.uk
Rising food prices and the inevitable knock-on effect for menus is reverberating throughout the restaurant sector.
But news that 10 independent Brixton restaurants are to share a grant of £50,000 will provide a much-needed shot in the arm for South London’s hospitality industry.
The businesses will each receive £5,000, as part of the Dine Local programme, run by the International Downtown Association Foundation and Brixton BID, and supported by American Express.
Among the recipients is Lounge Brixton, which is supporting local artists by expanding its live performance space, Papa’s Café, a park-based community cafe serving local residents, and family-run restaurant Banh Banh Café, that plans to install new kitchen equipment for the summer.
Dine Local is part of American Express’ global Backing International Small Restaurants grant programme.
Other Brixton businesses included in this roll out include:
Beast of Brixton – an LGBTQIA+ friendly café and bar planning to renovate its indoor and outdoor dining areas, as well as introduce a wheelchair ramp; Black and White Café – a community staple for more than 20 years, it plans to use the grant funding to refresh its interior and buy equipment ahead of the summer trading period; Etta’s Seafood Kitchen – which plans to introduce a new click and collect service and electric scooter for delivery, as well as contribute to community health workshops; Kamome – a casual Japanese diner which plans to update its ventilation system and purchase a new induction hob, as well as further support efforts to donate surplus food to local charities.
Gianluca Rizzo, director, Brixton BID, said: “Brixton is all about small and independent businesses.
“With the hospitality industry being hit hard, Dine Local was the perfect programme for Brixton, coming at a critical time for some of our restaurants.”
Main Picture: Valcie McIntosh, who runs the cafe at Papa’s Park, with Brixton BID representative, Jessica Dyer as it announced as one of ten independent businesses in London to have been selected to receive a share of a £50,000 grant as part of the Dine Local programme. Photo credit: David Parry/PA Wire