A FAMILY-run Italian restaurant group has bought the flagship Dorset site where the business started.

Tamburino has sites in Yeovil and at Clarks Village in Street but began in its Sherborne premises 18 years ago.

The Sherborne site saw record sales over Christmas and the business decided to acquire the property outright with the help of £350,000 from Lloyds Bank.

Domenico Taravella, director at Tamburino, said: “Our roots in the south west date back almost 18 years, so when we got the opportunity to take ownership of our flagship restaurant in Sherborne, we knew we had to do it. Buying the restaurant reinforces our commitment to the local area and will allow us to be flexible in our plans for the business as we continue to provide the best Italian cuisine for our loyal customers.

“Dorset’s rolling Jurassic coastline and countryside villages attract thousands of visitors every year and have really strong communities, so we feel very fortunate to be trading in this part of the world. The support we’ve received from the team at Lloyds Bank has been invaluable and we look forward to continuing working alongside them in the future.”

Simon Davidson, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “The UK hospitality industry has enjoyed a resurgence since the end of the pandemic and, although businesses are continuing to face staffing challenges, we’re seeing customers continue to enjoy spending locally.

“Domenico and his team's passion for delivering quality service, coupled with using locally-sourced produce, has helped create a very successful brand.

“We will remain by the side of hospitality businesses like Tamburino to help them achieve their growth ambitions in what is an ongoing challenging economic landscape.”