Hadrian's Wall B&B secures loan to build boutique rooms and wellbeing hub

What's the deal? Green Croft On The Wall, a guesthouse on the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail, has secured debt funding to revamp its rooms and expand a creative and wellbeing hub. The loan came through NPIF II — NEL Smaller Loans, managed by NEL Fund ManagersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → II.

What's the endgame? The bed-and-breakfast, sited between Greenhead and Gilsland on the Cumbria and Northumberland border, plans to add en-suite guest rooms and improve The Threshing Barn, which hosts yoga, sound baths, workshops, exhibitions and cultural events.

Director Amanda Drago said the money gives it "the opportunity to grow sustainably and develop into a high-quality boutique accommodation offer that complements The Threshing Barn."

Who's backing it? The £660 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, operated by the British Business Bank, provides loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity up to £5 million to small and medium-sized businesses across the North.

Susan Snowdon, the NEL Fund Managers investment executive who led the deal, said the site is "ideally positioned to attract walkers and visitors alike," adding she is confident "it will see strong demand and return bookings."

The signal: British Business Bank senior investment manager Sarah Newbould framed the deal as evidence that "targeted investment can help rural tourism businesses enhance their offer and unlock sustainable regional growth" — a template for channelling small-ticket debt into rural hospitality beyond the country's big cities.

Read more: Bdaily

Image credit: steven ruffles