The Cumberland Building Society has strengthened its support for an established UK country house hotel – along with its fast-growing bakery arm—by providing a refinancing package designed to fuel the next phase of expansion.

The society has provided new funding to Hart Hambleton, the Rutland‑based hospitality and food‑and‑drink group behind the business, enabling it to build on its recent momentum and pursue further growth opportunities.

Supporting the group’s Hambleton Hall and Hambleton Bakery businesses, the funding builds on The Cumberland’s strong track record in aiding both hospitality organisations and businesses in the food and drinks sector.

Owned by Tim Hart, Hart Hambleton has been a part of the region's hospitality and food and drink offering for more than four decades, attracting guests from across the UK and abroad, as well as holding a strong following of local customers.

The group encompasses Hambleton Hall, a Grade II Listed country house hotel, Hambleton Bakery, a food and drink business with eight shops and a cafe, and Hart's Hotel and Kitchen.

Tim established Hambleton Hall in 1980, growing it into a successful business whose restaurant has held a Michelin star since 1982 and regularly features among the top ten country house hotels in the UK, according to The Times and The Telegraph.

Alongside the hotel, the Hambleton Bakery has grown into a significant food operation since it was established in 2008, headed up by Julian Carter who worked as a chef in Hambleton Hall.

The bakery now manufactures and distributes its own produce, supplying over 200 independent retailers, restaurants and cafes on a wholesale basis, while serving customers directly through its eight owned retail shops and cafe.

It has been recognised nationally, being featured in ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery and Wild About Food in 2012, which is still remembered by visitors today.

While successful, Hart Hambleton looked to refinance the hotel and bakery businesses’ lending in a bid to maintain operations while opening up opportunities for future growth.

Being introduced to The Cumberland by broker Zain Zaidi of Enness Global, the society’s Commercial team worked to understand the needs of both Hambleton Hall and Hambleton Bakery.

As a result, the society’s dedicated Relationship Manager was able to develop a refinancing solution which met the ambition of the group.

Tim Hart, Owner of Hart Hambleton, said: "The Cumberland understood what we have built here and what we are trying to achieve. This is not a straightforward business and having a lender with expertise across both hospitality and food and drink sectors made a real difference.

"They took the time to understand the group properly, not just the numbers, but the ethos behind what we have built over the years. That level of understanding is increasingly rare, and it gave us confidence from the outset that we were working with the right partner.

"The refinancing gives us a strong foundation and the breathing room to focus on what we do best, running exceptional businesses and looking after the people who make them what they are."

Derek Smith, Commercial Business Development Manager at The Cumberland, said: "Hambleton Hall and Hambleton Bakery are exceptional businesses which offer a rare combination of award-winning hospitality and a genuinely thriving food and drink operation.

“What makes the group stand out is not just the quality of what they do, but the way they do it with a real focus on people, whether that is their guests, their staff, or the local suppliers they have worked with for years.

"This long-term thinking is something we recognise and value at The Cumberland. Our approach to commercial lending is built on understanding a business properly, not just at the point of a transaction, but over time.”

With more than 30 years' experience dedicated to providing commercial lending to hospitality businesses, The Cumberland also supports organisations across the food and drink sector, offering services including commercial mortgages, current accounts and savings accounts.

Every commercial mortgage customer is supported by a dedicated Relationship Manager, providing tailored guidance and consistent support throughout the lending process and beyond.