Success Story
| Region/Nation | North West |
|---|---|
| Sector | Hospitality, Accommodation and Food Service Activities |
| Programme | Start Up Loans |
Entrepreneur, Laura Lautrete, is bringing a new culinary concept to Chester with the launch of her grilled cheese café, Meltdown, thanks to a Start Up Loan provided via Delivery Partner GC Business Finance (formerly Business Finance Solutions).
Meltdown, which is located in Handbridge, Chester, serves grilled cheese sandwiches, side dishes, craft beers and soft drinks and caters to the nearby university and college market, as well as local office workers.
Meltdown’s owner Laura has worked in the restaurant industry for over 30 years, having started as a waitress in her parents’ restaurant. She went on to manage a number of high-profile restaurants in London, moving back to Chester three years ago to run the award-winning Urbano32 pizza restaurant. Laura has used her Start Up Loan for the building work required to get the café up-and-running and to buy kitchen fittings and appliances. Future plans include launching a breakfast menu and developing themed cheese-related events such as craft beer and raclette nights.
Laura said: “Grilled cheese cafes and pop-ups are opening all over the US and in London and I’m so pleased to have been able to use my Start Up Loan and the support of BFS to bring the concept to Chester. Grilled cheese has to be the ultimate comfort food – it’s a dish that can be as simple or as gourmet as you like – and we’ll be offering a range of great British and European cheeses within our menu.
Starting a business is incredibly exciting, but there are also many challenges, not least being able to find the finance needed, so being able to call on Start Up Loan funding, advice and support has made a big difference to our journey.
Laura has spent three decades working and honing her skills in the restaurant industry, and with the launch of Meltdown she is finally able to bring all her expertise and experience into what will be a great addition to Chester’s café culture. We are really pleased to have been able to provide the funding she needed to make the dream of owning her own restaurant a reality. - Alex Mearns BFS Loan Manager
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