With a 25-year track record of supporting growing businesses in the hospitality sector , Allied Irish Bank ( GB ) ( AIB ( GB )), is putting its money where its mouth is .

Earlier this year the bank launched a dedicated £ 500m lending fund targeted at owners of established businesses looking for growth finance , be it for acquisitions , capital expenditure programmes or re-financing packages .

AIB ( GB )’ s sector focused approach is one which the bank believes in whole-heartedly , as Emma Young , Head of Hotels , explains : “ The hospitality sector is one of four areas of business focus for AIB ( GB ) and one with enormous significance to the UK economy . It ’ s an ambitious group , too . In a recent survey *, which we conducted among hotel and leisure business owners , the majority had experienced turnover growth of between 11 % and 20 % in the last two years and 65 % believed they had an ambitious approach to growth ”.

“ Concentrating on key sectors means we really get under the skin of the industry , understand what the drivers and challenges are , as well as the market forces at work . Crucially , it also means we can work more flexibly with clients . In the case of hospitality , we understand the seasonality of the industry , how currency changes and exports can suddenly

L / R Mark Duggan , AIB ( GB ) Birmingham ; Ravi and Sanjay Kathuria , Talash Hotels Group ; Morgan Keating , AIB ( GB ) Birmingham .

affect cash flow and costs , and what investments are required to future-proof businesses .”

Steve Sisson , Relationship Manager at AIB ( GB ), whose team has worked with Talash Hotels Group on three of its most recent acquisitions , adds : “ Ravi and Sanjay are typical of the successful management teams AIB ( GB ) works with . They are highly motivated entrepreneurs with a clearly defined strategy of buying well-located properties with significant potential for growth . They combine their extensive experience with a philosophy of offering genuine hospitality to their guests and this combination is clearly bearing fruit for the brothers .”

Talash Group ’ s emphasis on top quality customer service chimes with AIB ( GB ). The hospitality industry is a people business and the same is true of relationship banking - something which AIB ( GB ) holds as a central tenet to everything it does .

Young concludes : “ Customers continue to tell us how important this aspect of our work is to them . Our sector expertise , coupled with empowered teams and short reporting lines , means we ’ re able to provide them with a very responsive service . Feedback from customers and professional contacts supports this , pointing to our knowledge , professionalism and accessibility . We know how much these things matter .”

* Source : AIB ( GB )’ s 2017 Steps to Growth survey

Steve Sisson , Relationship Manager – Corporate Business 0121 483 6934 | 07917 413349 | steve . a . sisson @ aib . ie Allied Irish Bank ( GB ), 61 Temple Row , Birmingham , B2 5LS Emma Young , Head of Hotels – Corporate Banking 0207 090 7169 | 07824 820013 | emma . j . young @ aib . ie Allied Irish Bank ( GB ), Podium Floor , St Helens 1 Undershaft , London , EC3A 8AB