From the left: Dalvinder Dhillon, David Owen, Sheridan Sulskis, Gareth Thomas MP, minister for services, small business and exports
Dhillon’s Brewery, a homegrown success story of Coventry, has been brewing exceptional craft beers since its inception in 2015. What started as a local brewery has grown into a thriving business, known for its unique beers and commitment to the local community. As the brewery evolved, it took two key steps forward by acquiring The Spire Bar and establishing Sky Blue Tavern - the official Coventry City Football Club bar, serving its own craft beers in these vibrant venues.
However, like many growing businesses, Dhillon’s Brewery struggled to raise capital. When they sought to expand the outdoor space of The Spire Bar to help the business maintain revenues during the cold season, they hit a stumbling
block - accessing finance. Their application for finance were denied by a bank. The application rejection put the business growth plans and future expansion in jeopardy.
That’s where Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT) stepped in. CWRT provided Dhillon’s Brewery with the funding solution they needed when no one else would. Through CWRT’s financial assistance, Dhillon’s Brewery was able to secure the capital required to build the cover for The Spire Bar, which is projected to quadruple their revenue and futureproof the business.
The expansion will also improve overall customer experience, bringing the local community together. With the government’s plans for Coventry’s city centre the new bar cover will also improve Coventry’s landscape.
The director of Dhillon’s Brewery Dalvinder Dhillon expressed his gratitude to CWRT for stepping in when they needed it most. "Without CWRT, we wouldn’t have been able to take this next step for our business. Their support has been crucial in helping us achieve our vision."
Sheridan Sulskis the CEO of CWRT added “CDFI’s (Community Development Financial Institutions) like us, have more flexibility to be able to support small businesses and help them grow. We are very pleased to see Dhillon’s plans come together and hope to see more businesses reaching out to secure funding from CWRT.”
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