The challenge
An independent restaurant group opening its second site needed ovens, refrigeration, dishwash and EPOS while preserving cash for pre-opening payroll and supplier deposits.
What we did
A 60-month hire purchase agreement with 10% deposit, funding the hard catering assets and selected installation costs from the supplier invoice.
The outcome
The kitchen opened on time, launch cash remained intact and the directors retained ownership of long-life equipment at the end of term.
The full story
How the deal came together.
The second-site cash crunch
The first Marlow & Finch site had traded profitably for four years, but the second lease required simultaneous spending on fit-out, recruitment, stock and launch marketing.
The directors wanted to avoid using their overdraft for long-life kitchen assets that would generate revenue for years.
Why hire purchase worked
The package was asset-heavy: combi ovens, refrigeration, warewashing and EPOS with clear supplier documentation. Hire purchase gave the lender strong security and gave the directors ownership at the end of the term.
Outcome
Supplier invoices were paid directly after document completion. The restaurant opened in the planned week, with cash still available for training, initial food stock and launch events.
Could you fund this?
If your business looks anything like Marlow, the answer is almost certainly yes.