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Nurturing a great business

With our help Dr Sipra Deb secured Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) funding to grow her childcare business – and that was just the beginning.

Dr Sipra Deb contacted Metro Bank for funding support - she already had a wealth of experience running play zones and nurseries, and was ready to take the next step to owning and running her own spaces for young children.

The big challenge was making this purchase happen in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Deb – who has won several business awards – saw a perfect opportunity to expand her business operations and wasn’t fazed by the less-than-ideal timing. She worked with Metro Bank to secure a funding through the government-backed British Business Bank Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS), which was specifically designed to support UK businesses to invest in growth during the pandemic.

Metro Bank helped Dr Deb secure a total of £1.2 million* to help with the purchase of new play centres. She has continued to expand her business, and now operates seven day-care centres, – looking after over 500 children and employing 138 local staff members – with a combined turnover of £3.5m. Dr Deb is the Managing Director for Wickersley Nursery, Seeds to Stars Nursery, Moorgate Daycare Nursery, Frecheville Children’s Nursery and Granby Nurseries.

“The RLS scheme has been a boom to businesses, offering secure finance access to businesses,” explains Howard Mills, Metro Bank’s Regional Commercial Banking Manager in Yorkshire. “Dr Deb is the classic entrepreneur. We worked closely with her to secure the optimum funding options that would allow her to expand and grow affordably.”

*Lending is subject to T&Cs and eligibility criteria.