Following their recent cafeteria opening in Edinburgh, the owners of Nardini and Tony Macaroni’s have announced that they are set to further expand throughout Scotland with 20 new premises.

The Italian restaurant group have targeted venues across the Central belt. Six Tony Macaroni restaurants are already planned, with two for Edinburgh and one each for Braehead, Cumbernauld, St Andrews and Lanark according to reports, and in turn, create 300 jobs in the hospitality sector.

It is now five years since Nardini’s re-opened its doors on the esplanade after a £1.5m resurrection of the much loved ice cream parlour, cafe and restaurant.

Sep Marini, managing director of Tony Macaroni and the Marini brand of fish and chip shops, as well as joint owner of Nardini’s with business partner David Equi, said: “Over the years we’ve established ourselves as Scotland’s leading independently-owned Italian restaurant and ice-cream brand people have grown to love and trust.

"Continued investment and development of the businesses has enabled us to offer more and more people the authentic taste of Tony Macaroni and Nardini’s throughout the central belt of Scotland.

“The next 18 months will be an exciting time for the company as we create an even greater choice of venues in new and existing areas, as well as creating a significant number of new jobs.” Last year Mr Marini told the ‘News’ that there were future expansion plans which may even include the rest of the UK.

During the course of 2013, Tony Macaroni made a ‘ripple’ in the financial sector as the chain signed a £1.5 million finance deal with Bank of Scotland to assist towards the acquisition and fit-out costs of freehold restaurant premises in Dunfermline and the refurbishment of another new unit in Glasgow city centre.

It is being reported that the Bank of Scotland will continue to advise the company on their continuing plans to expand, and the bank also provided a further £1.5 million re-finance deal to assist with the transfer of the Nardini’s banking facilities.

David Murray, relationship director for Bank of Scotland, said: “This rapidly expanding chain of popular catering venues has already made a tremendous contribution to Scotland’s food and drink sector.

“Our team is seeing that overall business confidence levels remain high and the food and drink sector, in particular, is pushing ahead delivering exceptional growth.

“Continued opportunities exist for the industry in the year ahead and Bank of Scotland remains a key supporter of the sector.” Although the original Nardini family have no involvement in the new enterprise, the third generation of the local company continue to be involved in such outlets as The Moorings Cafe, and Green Shutter Tearoom in Largs, and Riva Cafe at Inverkip marina.