Case Studies

Farms & Estates

  • Family buy-out

    Family buy-out

    Owing to the sensitive nature of the agreement involved in this case, our clients have asked we keep their details anonymous. However, they were delighted with the support and advice that R&BS gave them over an extended period and were happy we shared their story. Mr B and his family shared a farm that had…

  • Farm building conversion

    Farm building conversion

    Jane Schwier was embarking on a huge project of converting farm buildings into five holiday lets and a rental property. From the very beginning of the project, she had to ensure that she had a strong team on board to help her with the planning, development and crucially, the finance. Jane Schwier owns 200-acre Woodside…

  • Arable farm purchase

    Arable farm purchase

    Since David Chennells’ father bought the 60-acre Highlands farm in 1947, the farm has grown to 1,000 acres. David took on the farm in 1970 and is keen to leave a farming legacy for each of his four daughters.  When nearby Montpeliers Farm came on the market the family knew that it would help achieve…

  • Anaerobic Digestion plant purchase

    Anaerobic Digestion plant purchase

    For the purchase of an AD plant situated on their farm, the Pipers needed expert help to ensure they got the best terms, rates and covenants from a bank that understood them and their business.

  • Buying a sibling out of family farm

    Buying a sibling out of family farm

    Introduced to R&BS by his local land agent, a brother has finance to buy his sibling’s interest out of one house and adjoining land from the family farm.

  • Livestock expansion and slurry store

    Livestock expansion and slurry store

    Einion Jenkins had ambitions to expand his farm on the edge of the Welsh Mountains near Machynlleth and started with planning a new slurry store. With part of the project being funded by a grant he needed to find the rest of the funding urgently as the grant had to be used in a short…

  • Mixed farm mortgage finance for three holiday let conversions

    Mixed farm mortgage finance for three holiday let conversions

    Our clients’ high-street bank rejected their funding application for a holiday-let development. Having had a positive experience working with Rob Lister at R&BS in the past, they looked to him for help once again.

Equestrian

  • Refusal at the bank, cleared at final attempt when presented by R&BS

    Refusal at the bank, cleared at final attempt when presented by R&BS

    With assets and experience, Mark was confident of getting funding for a new equestrian centre and holiday cottage business. But he had no luck until the selling agent suggested R&BS…

  • Livery gallops ahead after hurdles breached

    Livery gallops ahead after hurdles breached

    When Adelle Brabham moved to Stanhope Farm, Hucking near Maidstone with her mother they were granted a residential mortgage on their bungalow, 42 acres, 23 stables, storage and tack rooms. Adelle and her mother ran a thriving livery yard with a mixture of DIY, full-time and part-time liveries, and produced and sold hay and haylage…

  • Dressage yard and livery aims for gold with the right support

    Dressage yard and livery aims for gold with the right support

    Based in a small private yard with their daughter Jessica, an international dressage rider, Richard and Lynn Gale wanted to upscale and run a commercial equestrian enterprise. With 27 stables, an indoor school, an outdoor arena, barns, tack rooms, around 47 acres of paddocks, a five-bedroom house and a staff flat, Froxfield Stud near Petersfield…

  • Personal service ensures equestrian yard purchase

    Personal service ensures equestrian yard purchase

    Finding a mortgage to buy a local livery yard with a mixed residential and commercial nature proved hard for Andrew and Melanie on their own. So they were recommended to talk to R&BS…

Rural Business

  • Remortgage expertise helps lights to shine on rural business

    Remortgage expertise helps lights to shine on rural business

    Emma had a residential interest-only mortgage. When the mortgage term was nearing its end, the bank couldn’t offer an alternative mortgage because, by this stage, Emma had mixed uses on her smallholding. She needed a specialist lender who would support her.

  • Award winning vineyard fizzes with funding support

    Award winning vineyard fizzes with funding support

    A boutique vineyard in Kent wanted to develop and keep pace with the rapid growth and success of the UK wine industry. Their existing banks and other banks wouldn’t support their plans, until R&BS were called in to help.

  • Development funding turns the wheels of cycling accommodation enterprise

    Development funding turns the wheels of cycling accommodation enterprise

    Jane Fowler had done almost all the hard work; she’d navigated the planning application process and achieved consent to develop a house and specialist accommodation for cyclists in open countryside. All she needed to complete her project was funding. Unfortunately, Jane could not find a lender that would help her. The proposal didn’t fit most…

  • Fishing lake, campsite and café finance

    Fishing lake, campsite and café finance

    We were approached to find finance to buy to buy a partner out of a fishing lake business, and for capital to put in services for touring caravans, camping pods, and an on-site café.

  • Working Capital Finance for a Wine Estate

    Working Capital Finance for a Wine Estate

    When the Rathfinny wine estate turned to their bank for additional working capital finance, they were met with a cold response. The estate owners were recommended to talk to R&BS to help them navigate other options in the finance market.

  • Farm and farm shop development finance

    Farm and farm shop development finance

    R&BS have helped Helen and James Baird of Pluckley Farm Shop obtain further finance to allow them to complete developments to their separate farm site.

Smallholding