Hampden & Co declares half-year growth

Hampden & Co has reported significant growth in deposits and lending in the first half of the year. 

Hampden & Co declares half-year growth

Graeme Hartop

The Edinburgh-based bank said that deposits increased by £95 million (39%) and lending has grown by £47m (44%) within the first six months of 2019, compared to the same time last year. 

Hampden cited a “pent-up demand” for its personal banking approach for the figures.



Chief executive Graeme Hartop said: “Mortgage lending remained strong in Scotland, notably in the Edinburgh area.”

However, Mr Hartop highlighted that the downturn in the London property market in the last year, sparked by larger political uncertainty, was affecting demand in the UK capital.

He added: “I guess part of it is that a lot of jobs will be potentially impacted (by Brexit) and obviously it is a lot more (of a) cosmopolitan population down there. The London market was very buoyant until a year ago, but it has cooled down in the last year, so people are looking longer and harder before making commitments.”

When asked whether he was worried about Brexit, Mr Hartop said that with Hampden largely focused on the UK, the departure from the EU was not having a “significant” direct effect on the bank. But he repeated that it is having an “impact” on the London property market, albeit the effect is “difficult to quantify”.

Mr Hartop said deposits are continuing to increase and the bank is continuing to experience a growth in client numbers as customers recommend it to their contacts.

He added: “We have got a lot of wealthy clients who are keeping a fair amount of their wealth in liquid form. They are very happy to entrust these assets to us over a long term.”

In the first half of 2019, Hampden released its new digital banking service, including a mobile app. The bank also continued to strengthen and improve its banking teams in Edinburgh and London. Bank employees now number at almost 100, with 85 based in Edinburgh and the others in England.

Hampden has also launched its Property Finance Review, which quizzes high-net-worth individuals on their top priorities and experiences when setting up their mortgages. The bank said the survey found that a low one in three feel they are treated as a person by their provider.

Mr Hartop said: “Our analysis of the market in the first half of the year showed how frustrating the mortgage application process can be, which is where our personalised approach comes to the fore, particularly around helping families get on the property ladder.”

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