You are here: cherry > Press releases for July 2014 > In response to this morning’s Bank of England Trends in Lending quarterly release, please find below a comment from Stephen Johnson, Managing Director, Commercial Mortgages, Shawbrook Bank.

18 July 2014

Stephen Johnson, Managing Director, Commercial Mortgages, Shawbrook Bank: 

“Last quarter’s growth in lending is positive but to see a real shift, lenders need to make sure the way they interact with SMEs fits the business requirements of a small business. Talking to our brokers and   clients we know how important a rapid response is. If you are a small business that has just won a new order and need new equipment to be on site in two days, there is value for you in a bank that can turn the decision round within a couple of days or sooner. You also need to ensure that your lender understands your business model properly so you receive the right decision. If small companies aren’t confident that their needs will be met, they won’t apply for finance. They need to know the full breadth of options out there and they key role that brokers can play in identifying the best lender for them.”