Cambridge & Counties appoints bridging head

Cambridge & Counties Bank has appointed Stephen Parr (pictured above) as head of bridging finance, a newly-created role for the bank.

Stephen will report to head of real estate finance Jayne Fellows, and supported by senior lending officer Andrea Calverley who joined in March.

He has been with Cambridge & Counties since 2020, initially as relationship manager before progressing to senior BDM in 2024.

Andrea joined from Recognise Bank, and has held relationship management and business development roles at firms including Assetz Capital and Nationwide.

Stephen’s appointment comes as Cambridge & Counties has identified bridge-to-term financing solutions as a particular area of growth.

“Bridging finance has developed from a niche product to a forward-looking, supportive funding answer to flexible property opportunities,” said Jayne.

“While bridging is commonly known for speed, its inherent adaptability along with a clear exit strategy has made it an increasingly in-demand product which appeals to all areas of the market.”

Stephen added: “I’m delighted to be working with Andrea and helping the bank capitalise on heightened demand for bridging loans at this key time.

“We have always offered bridging finance as a product but this has now become a more formal, strategic focus for the bank, with our solutions capitalising on direct access to experienced staff, common-sense underwriting and a clear route to term — all designed to keep property transactions moving when timing is critical.”