Bowland Inns & Hotels receives £25m loan to fuel expansion

Lancashire-based Bowland Inns & Hotels has secured a £25m loan from OakNorth that will provide further opportunities for expansion across the north west of England.

The pub, hotel and wedding venue operator was founded in 1996 by James Warburton and continues to operate its properties under the James’ Places brand.

It now has 11 sites across the Ribble Valley, Lun Valley, Yorkshire Dales and the South Lakes.

The £25m loan will enable the business to refinance its existing portfolio as well as complete the acquisition and refurbishment of its newest property, Wennington Hall near Lancaster.

Wennington Hall, on the outskirts of the Lune Valley village of Wennington, was used as a school until it closed in summer 2022 and was sold to the hotel group by Lancashire County Council.

Bowland Inns & Hotels secured planning permission to develop the site into a luxury hotel, spa and wedding venue in August and revealed aims to open the property in late spring 2024 within the Dream Venues Collection.

Funds will also go towards adding eight rooms and an extended dining offering to the Waddington Arms near Clitheroe, which currently has six rooms.

Warburton said: “Since starting the business way back in 1996 I have always had an eye on growth, always looking out for the next opportunity, the next building to get hugely excited about. We have been talking to OakNorth for a number of years, we found them interesting, different, and genuinely unlike any of the other lenders we have previously spoken to.”

Stewart Haworth, director of debt finance at OakNorth, added: “We are excited to now be part of the Bowland Inns & Hotels growth story and look forward to supporting them on future growth projects.”