The Gretna Inn
The Gretna Inn, nestled away in the centre of Gretna Green and famed for being the marriage capital of the UK, was hit hard by the Covid pandemic, as was the rest of the hospitality industry in the UK.
The Gretna Inn, nestled away in the centre of Gretna Green and famed for being the marriage capital of the UK, was hit hard by the Covid pandemic, as was the rest of the hospitality industry in the UK.
The inn has been owned by Iain Broughton for four years and consist of a large public house with a restaurant, bars and bedrooms. Iain and his business partner are chefs and hands-on owners with a wealth of experience within the hospitality industry. But even with all their years of experience, they had never dealt with anything like the pandemic. Their business was hit particularly hard, with countless weddings and events being cancelled, meaning that they had to lay off half their staff.
They remained focused and took advantage of the lull in trade to turn the business around by refurbishing the kitchen. Which included refitting it with the latest catering equipment and a redesign of the restaurant area, meaning that their guests could not only enjoy great food but could do so in comfortable and relaxing surroundings.
In addition, they moved their marketing online, investing in digital campaigns and attracting new customers from all over the UK and further afield.
To help fund these changes, Iain contacted Capify. Because of their years of experience, the Capify team understood his business plans and vision, and quickly offered him a business loan, which was repayable via small regular amounts rather than large monthly sum which helped Iain manage his cashflow as well as helping him to achieve his vision.
“Capify really must be the best and most helpful lenders I have dealt with over the years. Talking to the same person I always deal with is like talking to a good friend. They listen and understand whilst taking an interest in what I plan to do and always follow up with anything from phone calls to see if we are ok or even just for a catch up which I really look forward to. This, in my opinion, can be quite a rarity these days “
Iain Broughton, Owner of The Gretna Inn.