Inaugural bridging awards ceremony goes off with a bang

Inaugural bridging awards ceremony goes off with a bang




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It’s been a few days since the first ever Bridging and Commercial Awards ceremony and here in the office we’re starting to make a full recovery.

 

Thank you so much to all who have written in specially to thank us, we’ve had some fantastic comments.

 

On the day itself, Masthaven’s consultant, Sidney Cohen – who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award last year – said: “It was really, really well done, very relaxed and a wonderful idea, there’s nothing else like it in the industry, this is just what it needs. 

 

“As for the people who won, it was a fair assessment and representative of people’s views.”

 

Overall people seemed pleased, there were of course a few grumbles over a certain lender’s pronounced presence, but then that didn’t stop anyone  maximising on the networking potential that 220 brokers, lenders and packagers provides.

 

Rob Lankey, head of lending at Aldermore Commercial, was clearly delighted, albeit surprised, to pick up the Best Commercial Lender award, he said: “It’s fantastic, although I didn’t know there would be speeches...! It’s so great how Aldermore has made such an impression so quickly. To win as a new name is fantastic.”

 

Summing it up in a succinct ten words, he said: “Good networking, new faces, really good, hats off to you!”

 

Among the buzz and hype of the day circulated a few rumours about a mega bridging loan that looks soon to be completed. According to one source, Drawbridge’s recent £17 million bridge is but a mere snip in comparison, with a certain hedge fund set to to smash all records – proving how the industry really is making a comeback in full force.

 

One highlight of the day was the charity auction where £3,175 was raised for the Baphumelele Children’s Home in the Western Cape Province in South Africa.

 

Sponsors donated prizes ranging from film premiere tickets to a helicopter ride around London, and the distinguished auctioneer, David Dedman, skilfully drew money out of a great crowd.

 

One or two of the lots themselves provoked a few raised eyebrows, with some finding the prize donated by Bridging and Commercial a little...err... unexpected – the editors laughed off the controversy saying “Who said feminism was dead?”

 

Head of Bridging at United Trust Bank , Alan Margolis, who successfully bid for the prize in question, and also took to the stage to present the Service Excellence Award to Affirmative Finance, said: “ I am very much looking forward to my prize, even if Mrs M insists on a chaperon for me!"   

 

For all those who don’t know what we’re talking about you better make it next year...

 

As for the winners, Alun Winter of Intelligent Loans who picked up the Best Specialist Packager Award was overjoyed with his win and celebrated in full force, he said: “I feel privileged to be here, it’s been a fantastic day.

 

“It’s a great event; Bridging and Commercial deserve their status as the leading title. It’s great to see so many lenders enjoying themselves in a social setting – it’s not all about business.”

 

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