Tony Hussain, the renowned entrepreneur, restaurateur, property investor, developer, business angel, screenwriter and occasional actor has taken on a new role – as a one-man dragon’s den with the launch of an alternative funding model to the traditional bank loan.

The managing director of Dundee-based SHK Property and Investments aims to invest some £20 million in hospitality sector enterprises across Scotland this year to realise his ambition of turning SHK into the biggest property investment group in the country. And he’s issued an open invitation to business owners into his den to pitch for investment to drive forward their business plans.

Mr Hussain said, “Businessmen looking for more funds often approach their bank manager for a loan. But with the recent turmoil in the stock market and talk of a sub-prime fuelled recession looming over the world economy, businessmen are finding it harder than ever before to secure much-needed finance from traditional lenders. That’s why I’ve developed an alternative, more flexible, funding model.”

Rather than signing up to a bank loan, with the relatively expensive stringent security cover that entails, SHK Property and Investments will instead structure a funding package individually tailored to meet an operator’s particular requirements.

“Under an alternative sale and leaseback-based funding package, we can effectively assist a hospitality operator’s expansion plans by agreeing to purchase properties for future outlets, meet any refurbishment requirements and lease the premises back to the operator,” said Mr Hussain.

“Part of the appeal of such an innovative arrangement is that it will not require business owners to stump up the same level of security required by a bank since we regard ownership of the property as providing a degree of security against risk.

“And whereas a bank will typically base its lending decision on an operator’s current financial position, I have far more scope to consider a broader range of criteria, such as an operator’s track record and reputation within the sector.

“That’s why, rather than an operator’s current financial position, the main question I’m more likely to be seeking an answer to is whether or not I can see an opportunity to add value to an operator’s business through judicious investment.”

Tony Hussain’s most recent business venture was the launch of Bollywood, a new restaurant in Dundee, for which he is now actively seeking a working partner to drive the growth of the brand throughout Scotland.

Enjoying a close association with Bollywood, having introduced Scotland to the industry in 1996 when he acted as host to various Bollywood producers, Tony Hussain is currently co-producing a feature film with Bollywood director Nileish Malhotra called ‘Beyond Belief’, which combines a love story set within an environment of fundamentalist terrorism within the UK.