Twenty UK restaurants awarded £11,000 each in new American Express grant round

Twenty independent restaurants across London and Manchester have been awarded an equal share of £220,000 as part of the Backing International Small Restaurants (BISR) programme, supported by American Express.

Now in its fourth year in the UK, the initiative is run by the International Downtown Association (IDA) Foundation in partnership with the Association of Town & City Management (ATCM). The programme provides financial support to small, independently owned restaurants, empowering them to invest in essential improvements – from upgrading kitchen equipment and enhancing community initiatives, to improving marketing and customer experience.

This year’s UK recipients each receive £11,000 to invest in their business. They reflect the vibrancy of the UK’s independent restaurant sector, spanning everything from community cafés and family-run takeaways to destination dining spots. Globally, the initiative will award over $1.4 million to 97 small and independently owned restaurants across 14 cities in the UK, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Spain, and France.

One of the recipients, CIRO’s, an Italian restaurant in Islington, North London, will use the grant to upgrade its oven and purchase new equipment to support the introduction of pasta-making workshops. Owner Stephanie Schiattarella said: “This grant gives me the capital I need to upgrade essential equipment so we can make more fresh food in-house. It also means I can finally start running the pasta-making workshops I’ve been planning – something I’m really excited to offer to our local community.”

Meanwhile, Grounded MCR, a community café based in Cringle Park, Manchester, will use the grant to purchase new outdoor seating to support its growing community offering. Co-owner Natalie Lobel said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been awarded this grant. It allows us to build a permanent outdoor seating area made using recycled materials – something we simply wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. This will help future-proof our café and create a welcoming space for our community.”

Dan Edelman, general manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “Independent restaurants play such an important role in our local economies, and are so often more than simply places to eat. Through the Backing International Small Restaurants programme, we’re proud to back these critical venues by providing grants for important business improvements, allowing them to thrive and continue serving their communities for years to come.”

David Downey, executive director, IDA Foundation, added: “As we celebrate the Backing International Small Restaurants program, we are continually inspired by the resilience and positive impact of the small, independent restaurants selected as this year’s grantees. These restaurants are the heart and soul of their neighbourhoods, and through the generous, sustained support of American Express, we are proud to help strengthen the fabric of local communities across the UK and the world.”

This initiative complements American Express’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants program, which has provided over $8 million to 180 restaurants across all 50 U.S. states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands since its creation in 2021. Together, these programs have delivered over $11 million to support more than 410 small restaurants globally. American Express has long championed small businesses, launching Small Business Saturday 15 years ago and founding Shop Small, now a global movement across the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, New Zealand, and more.

Learn more about how American Express supports small businesses and communities: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/company/corporate-sustainability/community-impact/

Explore the 2025 grantees: https://downtown.org/backing-international-small-restaurants-grant-program/