A FAMILY-owned Italian restaurant chain has announced plans to open a new site which will have a “host of sustainable features”.
Glasgow-based La Vita, founded in 1999 by the Arcari brothers, has secured funding from Bank of Scotland for its expansion drive starting with a new restaurant in the east end of the city.
The business has five sites including two La Vita restaurants in George Square and Bishopbriggs, two La Vita Spuntini restaurants on Gordon Street and Byres Road, and a La Vita Piccolino Vino in Newton Mearns.
The business opted to embark on the next stage of its growth plans and open Baillieston Road following the reopening of the hospitality sector.
Bank of Scotland provided funding via the Clean Growth Financing Initiative to help the business achieve its growth ambitions.
La Vita said it has since been able to kickstart the development of the new restaurant which is expected to open in October. The new site will also include a bakery which will produce a range of Italian breads and cakes and be available in all six restaurants.
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La Vita is also keen to minimise its carbon footprint and both the new restaurant and bakery will include a sustainable features such as heat retaining insulation, water recycling units and electric, eco-friendly boilers.
Seats for the restaurant will also be manufactured from recycled fabrics made from sea reclaimed plastic bottles.
La Vita currently employs 160 people across its five sites and intends to hire a further 25 people once the new site opens. Further plans are also being discussed to introduce more sites.
Mario Arcari, co-owner of La Vita, said: “We are really proud of our business and how our reputation has grown over the years. What started as one family-run restaurant in 1999 is now set to be a six-site business with a really strong customer base from all across Glasgow."
He added: “Despite the disruption of the pandemic, our business has really bounced back. When we reopened, our bookings and orders surged so we knew that now was a great time to build on the positive momentum and expand further into the east end.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Bank of Scotland for its support and hope to continue our relationship as we explore further expansion opportunities over the coming months.”
Stephen Owens, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “The hospitality sector is a vital facet of the Scottish economy and adds roughly £6 billion per year. We know that businesses are currently operating in a difficult environment, but growth opportunities remain on the horizon and its imperative that we support firms wherever possible.
“La Vita is a great example of a family-run business that is continually striving to develop and grow. We’re proud to have been able to support Marco, Mario and their team once again, and hope the new restaurant will further boost the business’ reputation in Glasgow.
“We’ll continue to remain by the side of firms like La Vita to steer them through these choppy waters and help them to prosper.”
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