A Pandemic-inspired restaurant is celebrating its first quarter as a rave success in Cirencester – and is already setting its sights potential additional premises.

Sarah Bliss co-founded Cirencester's new Burrito Mama with her daughters Ella and Grace and the 30-cover eatery, at Unit 5 in the Old Post Office near Blackjack Street, has been a runaway success since it opened its doors at the end of March.

Sarah said: "We saw a gap in the market, with anyone who wants Mex and Tex Mex food having to go all the way to Swindon or Cheltenham before we began."

Sarah has a background in photography and while she was project-managing business development in nearby Poulton village's Priory Court Business Park, her focus included planning a café venue at the commercial hub.

"I took the leap of leasing the café myself and was given the confidence boost that two of my five daughers, Ella and Grace, already had a lot of hospitality experience," Sarah explained.

The Gilbertine Kitchen opened in November 2019 and is now a thriving concern – but its opening met the near-instant challenge of the Pandemic.

"Covid threatened us with the business park being dormant, but we put our heads together and began a local food delivery option, with 'Covid comfort' boxes that people could safely receive and cook at home. Among those options, our burritos and enchilladas were hugely popular - we soon did breakfast burritos and added them as lunch options - anything Mex or Tex Mex was so popular we realised it was a gap in the market."

Sarah said a key move was to invest in a converted horse box so they could do pop-up and private events catering and the momentum of the idea, she said, naturally led to the decision to offer authentic Mex and Tex Mex food from a town-centre address.

"Feedback has told us that Cirencester lacked a street-food type of offering for this cuisine," she added.

"We are really pleased that the idea is doing well and we will be seeking an extra site quite soon, which is great news for the six people who are employed altogether in the new venture," she said.

Sarah added, however, that finding key staff for jobs in the restaurant and take-away remains a challenge.

"There is a hospitality crisis in that you can't get people, and our door is always open for people who want to get in to this exciting business." 

But the huge positive that came out of the Pandemic, however, is that it made new connections for the Sarah's family.

"We built a close customer base and connected with new people we'd never have known, people who now support us as we go forward.

"My best advice for anyone who wants to start up a hospitality business is simple: don't be daunted!

"They tell you you need to hugely invest but we have got to here on a shoestring budget. It's about putting in the hours and the graft, doing as much as you can yourself but, that way, you can achieve your goals."