Mexican inspired Bristol restaurant receives six figure funding boost

By Nicky Godding

10 April 2024

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Condesa bar Bristol. L-R Jordan Berg(FW Capital),Imogen Waite( Condesa),Lizzy Upton(BBB).

A new Mexican inspired restaurant has opened in Bristol after owners Can.Bristol Ltd received a six-figure funding package from the South West Investment Fund.

Condesa has been launched on Whiteladies Road in Clifton by the team behind well-loved local restaurants Bravas, Gambas, and Cargo Cantina. Funding to support the new restaurant has been provided by the South West Investment Fund (SWIF) via appointed fund manager FW Capital. Up to 20 new jobs have been created with plans to expand further as the business grows.

Husband and wife Kieran and Imogen Waite opened their first restaurant after travelling the world. Using experiences gained from their travels the duo set up Bravas inspired by the back street tapas bars of Andalucia. Today they have multiple successful sites and have gained a growing reputation for providing high-end casual dining experiences, with restaurants that are well-known for their open kitchens and talented chefs.

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Imogen Waite, Co-Founder Can.Bristol Ltd said: “It’s fantastic to be embarking on our most recent journey opening the Mexican inspired Condesa. We’ve been busy completing the internal fit out and menu developments to bring a vibrant new food choice to the Bristol restaurant scene. It’s an exciting time! Condesa offers a similar format to our other restaurants serving premium Mexican dishes and drinks in a fun and vibrant atmosphere with indoor and outdoor eating areas. The support from Jordan Berg at FW Capital has been great and the funding has been instrumental in supporting us with the fit out and launch of the restaurant.”

Jordan Berg, Investment Executive at FW Capital added: “The investment we have provided from the South West Investment Fund has made a real difference, providing valuable assistance to opening costs as well as ongoing working capital as the new site establishes itself. It’s great to see how this funding is helping diverse businesses like Can.Bristol to grow and create new jobs. Condesa brings authentic and exciting Mexican themed food and cocktails to the popular Clifton area of Bristol and I look forward to seeing their ongoing success.”

Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager, Nations & Regions Investment Funds at the British Business Bank said: “We’re delighted the South West Investment Fund has provided the support needed to get this new restaurant off the ground and is helping to provide new employment opportunities for Bristol. The duo has a long history of establishing successful restaurants in the area and this marks an exciting step in their business journey. We wish them every success for Condesa.”

The South West Investment Fund covers the entire South West region and provides loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million to help small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead. Fund manager FW Capital provides debt finance using the South West Investment Fund to businesses in Bristol, Gloucestershire, North and North East Somerset and Wiltshire.

The South West Investment Fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West.

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.