Black-owned London restaurants share £120,000 grant

Santeni Brown said the grant would help her to expand her business

A dozen black-owned London restaurants have been awarded a combined total of £120,000.

The grants were given in £10,000 lump sums to each firm in a bid to encourage more diversity in the industry.

Recipient Santeni Brown, who owns Dinner at Sans in Brixton, said the money would help her expand and invest her in staff.

She spoke as research revealed 43% of black business owners believe that ethnicity hinders career progression.

This is the highest percentage of any ethnic minority group, according to the research carried out by not-for-profit group Be Inclusive Hospitality.

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The group partnered with Enterprise Nation and Uber Eats for its Black Business Fund - which granted money to 25 restaurants across the UK out of 600 applicants.

The fund aims to break down the barriers many black owners face in getting access to investment and finance.

In the UK, 5% of small or medium sized businesses are run by people from minority backgrounds, with black and mixed ethnicity groups the least likely to be self-employed.

Ms Brown said: "Going forward I want to keep championing women of colour and people from underserved communities - helping to recruit and train staff looking to make their way in hospitality."

Jordan Johnson said the cash would help him expand his business

Jordan Johnson co-founded vegan Caribbean food firm Jam Delish after being put on furlough from his job in economics in May 2020.

The 29-year-old said the grant had "been a massive help especially in the current times" and came about five weeks after his firm's first permanent restaurant opened.

The full list of London's winners is:

•BakeYard - Plumstead

•Dinner At Sans - Brixton

•Issa Vibe - Peckham

•Jam Delish - Islington

•Jerk off BBQ - Deptford

•Juici Jerk - Tooting

•Likkle Dutchpot Limited - Fulham

•Sun Valley Jerk - Lambeth

•Our Roti Island - Dalston

•Tatale - Southwark

•The Heavenly Cake Company - Lewisham

•Treats Club - central and east London

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