Editorial ranking
Best UK business loans for hospitality
Editorial UK lender rankings from desk research, post-decline options included. FundBiz does not run a credit check. Where a lender publishes a decision or funding time, it is shown in the ranking below.
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Hospitality lending is shaped by card flow. The lenders that win this segment are MCA specialists with sector underwriting plus a small number of mainstream term-loan lenders that understand seasonal cashflow. This FundBiz ranking assesses 5 UK lenders for "best uk business loans for hospitality", weighting primarily on hospitality sector specialism (30%), card-flow underwriting (25%), decision speed (20%) (see the full weighted criteria below).
Scores are our own desk-research assessment built from the FCA Register, Companies House filings and each lender's published product criteria, not customer reviews and not paid placement. Lenders don't pay for inclusion or rankings. If you send an enquiry, we pass it to one of the finance partners we work with, and we may be paid by the finance partners we introduce you to, by a fixed fee or commission depending on the partner and the finance arranged. It does not change what you pay.
Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).
Want the sector overview, cash-flow shape and typical decline reasons instead? See hospitality business finance →
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, FundBiz
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind FundBiz. His background runs through commercial finance, mortgages and fintech, including as managing director of an invoice finance business. He oversees FundBiz's guides and lender reviews.
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- 1. Capify
Short-term business loans and supplier invoice payment · £10k to £3m · Decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured (its own figures)
Short-term loans assessed on cash flow for businesses with 12+ months of trading and £10,000+ monthly turnover; same-day funding available.
Our assessment: Decision speed: decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured, its own figures.
Read full Capify review → -
Merchant cash advance (revenue-based finance) · £10k to £500k (its own figure) · Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure)
Direct MCA, no intermediary fee, strong on £25k+ tickets.
Our assessment: Decision speed: funds in as little as 24 hours, its own figure.
Read full 365 Business Finance review → - 3. Liberis
Revenue-based finance (merchant cash advance style) and pay-over-time funding for SMEs · £1k to £1m (its own figure) · Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure)
Embedded MCA via Worldpay / Barclaycard partnerships hospitality often uses.
Our assessment: Decision speed: funds in as little as 24 hours, its own figure.
Read full Liberis review → - 4. iwoca
Flexi-loan / line of credit · £1k to £1m (its own figure) · Many customers get an instant decision; larger loans within 24 hours (its own figures)
Mainstream working capital for the non-MCA gap; flexi-loan helps with VAT bill timing.
Our assessment: Decision speed: many customers get an instant decision; larger loans within 24 hours, its own figures.
Read full iwoca review → - 5. Allica Bank
SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage · £25,001 to £150,000 (business loans); £25k to £2.5m (asset finance); £150k to £15m (commercial mortgages) (its own figures) · Decision by the next working day (its own aim)
Commercial mortgage and asset finance for hospitality investing in property or fit-out.
Our assessment: Decision speed: decision by the next working day, its own aim.
Read full Allica Bank review →
Side-by-side comparison
| Lender | Typical rate | Ticket | Decision | Best for | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capify | Factor rate set by risk (not published) | £10k to £3m | Decision in minutes; same-day funding on unsecured loans, 24 to 48 hours on secured (its own figures) | UK businesses trading 12+ months with £10,000+ monthly turnover that need short-term funds quickly | Lender's site | |
| 365 Business Finance | One fixed cost, repaid as a percentage of card sales (quoted per offer) | £10k to £500k (its own figure) | Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure) | Hospitality, retail and ecommerce Ltds trading 6+ months with £10k+ monthly card sales (365's published minimum) | Lender's site | |
| Liberis | One fixed fee, repaid as a percentage of sales (quoted per offer) | £1k to £1m (its own figure) | Funds in as little as 24 hours (its own figure) | Existing Worldpay, Barclaycard, Klarna or Dojo users with strong card flow | Lender's site | |
| iwoca | From 1.5% per 30 days | £1k to £1m (its own figure) | Many customers get an instant decision; larger loans within 24 hours (its own figures) | Working capital you can draw down as you need it | Lender's site | |
| Allica Bank | Business loans 9.90% to 13.75% interest; other products quoted per deal | £25,001 to £150,000 (business loans); £25k to £2.5m (asset finance); £150k to £15m (commercial mortgages) (its own figures) | Decision by the next working day (its own aim) | Established Ltd companies with three or more years of filed accounts | Lender's site |
Source links go to the lender's own site, or to the page the figures on that row come from. Checked is the date we last checked them. Figures change, so confirm with the lender before you rely on one.
What is the best business loan for a UK restaurant or pub?
For day-to-day cash flow against card takings, MCA from 365 Business Finance or Liberis, or a short-term loan from Capify for businesses trading 12+ months. For VAT bills and seasonal stock, an iwoca flexi-loan. For larger fit-out or property investment, an Allica Bank commercial mortgage or asset finance facility.
How does merchant cash advance work for UK hospitality?
You receive a lump sum, repaid as a percentage of daily card takings. Repayment scales with takings: busy weeks repay faster, quiet weeks slower. Providers look at recent card-sales history (365 Business Finance, for example, needs 6 months of trading). Pricing is a fixed cost set per offer rather than an APR.
Can a new UK hospitality business under 12 months get a loan?
On MCA, sometimes: 365 Business Finance considers businesses with 6 months of trading. On mainstream term loans, rarely. Pre-revenue concepts almost never; the British Business Bank Start Up Loan is the realistic first option for sub-six-month operators.
What credit checks apply to UK hospitality lending?
365 Business Finance runs no credit check for a provisional quote, and Capify says checking eligibility does not affect your credit score. A full application usually involves a hard search, visible to other lenders for 12 months. The director credit profile is checked alongside the company; sole-trader pubs sit on the director file.
Does Bounce Back Loan history affect new UK hospitality lending?
Active or unpaid Bounce Back Loans materially limit options. Most lenders won't lend additional unsecured debt while a BBL is in arrears. Repaid or restructured BBLs are largely neutral for current underwriting.
How we ranked these
We weight hospitality sector specialism (30%), card-flow underwriting (25%), decision speed (20%), eligibility breadth (15%), decline handling (10%). Rankings reflect our published editorial methodology, not any commercial arrangement. The full basis is in our methodology, linked below.
Methodology weights
Weights specific to "Best UK business loans for hospitality":
- Hospitality sector specialism30%
- Card-flow underwriting25%
- Decision speed20%
- Eligibility breadth15%
- Decline handling10%
Read the full methodology for how we score and rank the lenders we review.
Also considered
- YouLend (if you sell through Just Eat)
- Funding Circle (mainstream term loans)
- Bizcap (post-decline)
Not for
Pre-revenue concepts; sub-6-month-trading hospitality.
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