A CAFE and book shop named Brecon Beacons Tourism’s Best Eating Out Experience/Café of the Year is among the Welsh businesses that have benefitted from investment from the Wales Micro Business Loan Fund.

The Hours Café and Bookshop in Brecon plans to open a new deli in adjacent premises this summer thanks to a loan from Finance Wales.

Launched in 2012, the Wales Micro Business Loan Fund managed by Finance Wales has invested over £10 million in 390 start-ups and established businesses in Wales over the last five years, safeguarding or creating some 2,000 jobs across Wales. The fund has increased from £6 million to £18 million during that time.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “The Welsh Government is proud to support the Wales Micro Business Loan Fund. The fund was established to assist companies with less than 10 employees to access the funding they need to get their businesses off the ground and prosper and grow.

“It was developed to fill a recognised gap in the market and five years in it is great to see the impact it  is having  on businesses and social enterprises the length and breadth of Wales.”

To obtain further information on obtaining finance, businesses can visit www.financewales.co.uk