1. So, you’ve just won the award for Best Scottish Bridging Provider, how does it feel to be recognised within the industry?

Well we expected it; we are the best after all! I’m joking, don’t write that. I felt very proud on behalf of the Scottish bridging community, small as it is. We’re also very grateful to the brokers throughout the UK who pass us business. The award was also special as it is our first one in 27 years of lending.

2.   Has Bridging Loans Ltd really been going for 27 years? How did it start?

We’ve been lending for 27 years, it’s a longstanding family business that was started by my father-in-law, who’s still involved in it. I’ve been with the company as Operations Director for two years now and my aim is to expand the business. 

3.   What did you do before that?

I was partner in an accountancy firm, but I decided that I needed life to be more exciting! Having been in accountancy for 20 years, 10 of which as a partner, I thought that I could do with a change, so I sold the firm in 2008 and moved into bridging finance.

4.   Interesting, and you work with your wife, what’s that like?

It’s nice... it’s good to work with my wife. However, she runs the old established property side of the family business whereas I’m more involved in appraising our Bridging and Development Finance enquiries along with Allan Smith, our underwriter, who is not part of the family and is probably glad of that!

As my wife and I do completely separate things in the company we often only get the chance to talk about things over dinner.

B&C: Not even over lunch?

What’s lunch? Who has time for lunch?

5.   Was Scotland hit particularly hard by the downturn in the market? Is it recovering now?

Although Scotland has been hit by the property slump we’ve always had more stability in terms of prices, with no sudden rises in the past, therefore we didn’t see a huge slump either. It was more of a reduction in demand.

As for the recovery, people are still finding it harder to get mortgages than before, but in general Scotland seems to be maintaining a slow but steady growth in prices and demand.

6.   Why do you think many lenders don’t extend bridging finance north of the border?

Good question, maybe it’s too cold for them? I suppose we have a completely different legal system in Scotland and out of the whole bridging market Scotland only represents a very small percentage of it. There’s also quite a big geographical spread, lots of areas are extremely remote, with only a few large towns and cities.

7.   What’s the most interesting case you’ve come across recently?

Out of the interesting cases we’ve managed to do, some are extremely complicated. One was a conversion of a house into three flats in London and practically every legal issue under the sun had to be looked at and resolved! It only worked because we were extremely patient. We stick to our guns and don’t back out of deals.

As for interesting cases that we haven’t managed to do, we had an enquiry through yesterday looking for us to lend on a mini power station. Someone had built their own power station for a wind company, it was very weird. We actually couldn’t lend on it because the LTV the guy was asking for was too high – 85%. We’ve never lent on a power station before and probably never will. We like obscure cases but that was a little too obscure...

8.   If you weren’t working in your current role, what would you like to do?

Play golf! If I didn’t have to work I’d be playing seven days a week and trying to add to the hole in one I got on Sunday...

B&C: A hole in one? Really? How?

It was just a fantastic shot, a bit lucky too I suppose... my wife and I were playing a mixed doubles match against the captain and lady captain of the golf club when it happened. We were all jumping up and down like crazy! The downside, at least for a Scottish accountant, is that I had to buy everyone in the clubhouse a drink afterwards...

9.   Brilliant! What do you like to do in your spare time other than play golf?

I love to travel. My wife and I went on a golfing holiday in South Africa in April and ended up having to stay an extra week due to the volcanic ash. I’m also off to Portugal in a few weeks, but I’ll have my trusty laptop with me so I can keep up with work and emails...

10.  And finally, most importantly, who do you fancy off the telly?