- Loan amount: £1.1 million
- LTV: 55%
- Term: 6 months
- Internal team: Adam Evans, James Edwards, Richard Wilfan, George Tuffin
When experienced property professionals Michael Street and Josh Berry needed to refinance a commercial asset and position it for long-term growth, speed was critical. With an existing facility to repay and future funding plans already mapped out, they required a lender that could move quickly, understand the opportunity and support their wider strategy.
Through Roma Finance’s FLOW commercial bridging proposition, Hatters Square Limited secured a £1.1m commercial bridging loan in just seven days, providing the flexibility needed to progress its plans while creating a clear pathway towards longer-term finance.
Hatters Square Limited is a property holding company co-owned by Michael Street and Josh Berry, an experienced property developer who has successfully delivered more than £4m worth of developments over the past decade. The pair acquired the commercial premises on Market Street, Denton, in 2024. The property is currently occupied by tenants and operates as a successful food and drinks hall in Manchester.
The borrowers were seeking funding to repay their existing lender while allowing time to strengthen the property’s trading track record and complete the valuation work required to support longer-term funding arrangements. Achieving this required a lender capable of working at pace without compromising on understanding the wider commercial objectives behind the transaction.
Roma provided a £1.1m facility at 55% loan-to-value against the property’s £2m market value over a six-month term. Working closely with the borrowers, Roma’s commercial team assessed not only the immediate bridging requirement but also the potential longer-term exit strategy, helping to provide greater certainty around the next stage of the property’s funding journey.
The transaction also demonstrated the strength of Roma’s relationship-driven approach and collaborative culture. Richard Wilfan and George Tuffin from Roma’s sales team worked closely alongside Adam Evans and James Edwards in underwriting to ensure the application progressed smoothly from enquiry through to completion. With one Senior Business Development Manager on annual leave during part of the process, the wider team stepped in to maintain momentum and provide continuity for the customer. Rather than the deal stalling when key individuals were unavailable, the collaborative approach ensured decisions were progressed, communication remained consistent and the transaction stayed firmly on track.
By combining expertise across commercial bridging and commercial mortgages, Roma was able to deliver a solution that addressed both the immediate refinancing requirement and the customers’ future ambitions.
Michael Street, co-owner of Hatters Square Limited, said: “This transaction came together exactly as we had hoped; with speed, clarity, and a lender who understood the opportunity from day one. As borrowers, we had a clear strategy for the building, but needed a lender that could move quickly and understood the commercial fundamentals of the deal.
“Roma was able to take a pragmatic approach, understand our respective experiences and delivered the funding in just seven days. That speed made a real difference, and the flexibility of the facility gives us the time we need to build the financial trading data and move towards longer-term funding plans.”
The successful completion highlights how Roma’s growing commercial proposition enables customers to access funding solutions that evolve alongside their requirements. With commercial bridging, development finance and commercial mortgages available through a single lender, customers can benefit from greater continuity and a more joined-up approach to funding.
Michael Allison, Commercial Director at Roma Finance, said: “This is a fantastic result for our commercial team and a real reflection of how much our commercial proposition has developed. We have a team with significant experience across commercial property finance, and that allows us to look beyond the immediate funding requirement and understand what the customer is ultimately trying to achieve.
“With commercial bridging, development finance and now our commercial mortgages sitting under the same umbrella, we’re in a much stronger position to support customers at different stages of their property journey. That’s something we’re really excited about.
“What’s particularly pleasing here is the opportunity to build on an existing relationship. The bridge meets the customer’s immediate requirements, but there is a clear longer-term opportunity for us to continue working with them. For us, that’s what good relationship-led lending should look like.”
Subject to meeting the relevant lending criteria, Hatters Square Limited now has the potential to transition onto a commercial mortgage with Roma, demonstrating the lender’s Customer for Life approach. By supporting customers from short-term funding requirements through to longer-term finance solutions, Roma helps create a smoother funding journey while offering borrowers and brokers greater certainty at every stage.
This transaction is also an example of Roma’s continued expansion into commercial property finance. Through bridging loans, development finance and commercial mortgages, Roma can support property professionals from acquisition and growth through to long-term ownership, helping customers achieve their objectives through a single trusted lending partner.
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