Pub buyer praises 'helpful' RBS bank

A former Punch lessee, who has just bought his pub's freehold, believes banks are becoming more helpful to the sector.

Jeremy Hague, who along with his wife, Anne, has just completed on a deal with the pubco on his pub, the Egerton Arms at Chelford, Cheshire, said his bank RBS was "immensely helpful".

It follows reports of major banks saying they won't lend to pubs.

The couple, who had leased the pub for three years, bought the outlet for an undisclosed sum off an asking price of £800,000.

"The process was very straightforward. I sent a letter to Punch and someone came to see me.

"I negotiated on the price, given I had spent £100,000 on a refurbishment," said Hague.

Although RBS did not approve his loan when he first applied, Hague said he presented the figures again and the bank agreed to the deal with a 40% deposit.

So far Hague says he hopes to make 25% savings on beer, and he is shopping around to find a supplier who will be able to maintain his ageing cellar cooling system.

He plans to change the carpet, and give the pub a face-lift. "It used to be a B&B

years ago and I'd like to restore it to that. Depending on planning permission, we'd like to put in a farm shop. We're very rural," he said.