FOLK2FOLK, the national lender for regional businesses, has surpassed £500 million in lending with a record level of £108m lent during 2021, almost double that of the previous year.

This represents a substantial 80% increase in the total value of completed loans by the regional lender when compared to 2020.

As a result of this funding, hundreds of business owners across regional England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have been enabled to fulfil their business aspirations and contribute to the health and growth of their local and regional economies.  A variety of sectors have benefitted including property development, agricultural diversification, alternative energy, as well as leisure and tourism business-owners seeking to capitalise on current and emerging opportunities by investing in their business.

“Hundreds of business owners across regional England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have been enabled to fulfil their business aspirations and contribute to the health and growth of their local and regional economies.”

FOLK2FOLK’s largest single loan of 2021 was for £12m, double the size of the company’s largest loan of 2020. The five largest loans were delivered into Devon, Ayrshire in Scotland, Dorset, Kent, and East Sussex respectively.

As well as regional businesses, retail investors are also beneficiaries of increased lending levels. FOLK2FOLK remains one of the few marketplace platforms still open to retail investors.  Investors typically receive 6.5% p.a interest which is paid monthly and secured against land/property. Of the £108m invested into loans during 2021, 20% was invested via FOLK2FOLK’s Innovative Finance ISA.

“Investors typically receive 6.5% p.a interest which is paid monthly and secured against land/property.”

Roy Warren FOLK2FOLK Managing Director said: “An 80% uplift in the total value of completed loans in just one year is significant by anyone’s measure and, coupled with our consistent and growing profitability, signifies a very exciting future for FOLK2FOLK. We are proud to have maintained our zero capital losses record through this period of growth and maintained a controlled default rate. However, our grip remains firmly on the tiller with regard to our internal credit processes and portfolio management.

“Our mission is, and always has been, to help create and sustain financially successful rural and regional communities.”

“We are inspired every day by the energy and resilience we see in the business-owners we help. Our mission is, and always has been, to help create and sustain financially successful rural and regional communities. We deeply believe that the health of these local economies is essential to the UK’s post-Brexit, post-pandemic recovery and that is why we are unwavering in our determination to channel funding into new and existing businesses in these areas.”