Southsea Coffee Co.

Southsea

£20,000 Bridging the Gap Recipient - November 2012

Southsea Coffee Co is a speciality coffee shop, focusing on providing the best quality hand poured and espresso based beverages in the area. In addition, they also offer a range of high quality fresh food prepared on site. The business is driven by the belief and commitment of husband and wife team, Tara and Martyn Knight, and it was their combined drive that saw them develop the business plans, pitch to the BTG Investment Panel and secure funding towards the start-up costs of the new business.

Since opening, Southsea Coffee Co. has received numerous glowing reviews for the quality of both their food and drinks, and has also received recognition in the annual business awards run by the local newspaper, The News.

Tara Knight, co-owner of Southsea Coffee Co said:

The money really helped make us secure. We had to have the premises on Osborne Road because of its ideal location, so we signed the lease and worked hard to create a shop. Without the funding we never would have had enough money to complete the build and create our outside space; buy essential equipment and begin training our staff. Two years on we have doubled our team and are looking at subsidiary elements within the business. The process involved with BTG gave us time to fully look at and develop our business plan which has undoubtedly helped us.