The Gate Inn at Bryants Bottom recently completed a commercial mortgage with Barclays which met the criteria for the banks scheme and received a cheque for £10,700 which will go towards developing the business.

The pub, under new ownership, will be managed by Wendy White and Graham Putnam who are also shareholders in the business and who have a wealth of experience in the pub trade. There are plans to upgrade the pub to offer home cooked ‘pub grub’ in a child-friendly environment, maintain the pub’s traditional English feel and offer a wide range of cask ales. The Gate Inn also benefits from 10 acres of woodland with glorious views over the Chilterns.

Commenting on the scheme, Wendy White said: ‘It’s good to see the Government offering a helping hand to businesses. Start-ups in particular need all the support they can get whether that’s financial or on an advice basis. This is a step in the right direction and the Barclays scheme has certainly helped us with the start up costs of the business.’

Mike Locke, manager, Business Banking Barclays in Buckinghamshire, said: ‘By giving our customers the full benefit of the NLGS on day one, they receive a lump sum of cash which they can put to use immediately to grow their business. We think this is more useful than drip feeding the value over the lifetime of a loan. For the Gate Inn, this has meant that they’ve had an upfront cash injection which has helped towards the purchase and renovation costs of the pub. The new owners have some good ideas for the business and I look forward to seeing them develop over the coming months.’