An update from the Editor: Bridging finance looks out from the goldfish bowl

An update from the Editor: Bridging finance looks out from the goldfish bowl




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We’re almost a quarter of the way through the year and so far 2011 has been far from boring both internally here at B&C and out in the world of short term finance.

Bridging & Commercial has become the proud owner of a new office, a new version of our website, and several new additions to our team (including two goldfish). But we’ve had little time to stand idly by admiring our new fish friends, as the industry’s constant and increasingly unpredictable movements have kept us all on our toes.

The headlines published in national press over the past fortnight have been far from positive for both the property market and the world as a whole. Aside from the horrors of natural disasters, the government’s latest budget cuts have angered most of the nation and led to a spate of riots and strikes in London.

Yet the bridging market seems to have been largely protected from these events, remaining strong within the confines of its own goldfish bowl.

And its continual strength is beginning to tempt not only new lenders to the market, but also celebrities and some of the UK’s most well-known property giants.

Apprentice star Liz Locke recently joined Omni Capital and Michael Baker of The William Pears Group – an ultra-high net worth and family-owned property froup – now sits on Masthaven’s board as a non-Executive Director. Concurrently, Savills Private Finance has extended its portfolio to bridging, and we are only weeks away from the launch of Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank’s commercial lending arm. 

Existing lenders, though, have not been held back by the latest influx of competition, and at the start of next week, one of the biggest bridgers in the market – Drawbridge Finance - promises to present us with much-awaited breaking industry news set to heat up the competition.

These latest movements within the sector will no doubt make the judging panel’s job increasingly difficult in the run up to the Bridging & Commercial Awards 2011 on June 27th, but remember, only nominees stand a chance of winning.

If you haven’t yet nominated your preferred name for each category, then you have until 5pm on Thursday 31st March to do so. Next week we will announce the nominees!

As always, feel free to contact me with your news or updates at any time at

[email protected]

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By Katie-Jill Rowland

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