Your Funding Circle Guide to Christmas 2016 – Pt 2

Are you in the festive spirit yet? Have your tree up and presents sorted? What about food and drink for the family feast? If there’s still a few things left on your checklist then never fear, our guide to Christmas 2016 will give you everything you need for a truly unique holiday this year.

Last week we showcased some of the best present ideas from our marketplace. For part 2 we’re looking at your essential Christmas supplies, covering food, drink, and decorations.

Cable & Cotton

Want to take your Christmas lights to the next level? Cable and Cotton let you personalise their beautiful hand-made lights. They have 49 colours to choose from, so you can create something unique for your home or office (Funding Circle purple sadly not available). To fund stock levels and expansion into Scandinavia, Cable and Cotton borrowed £50,000 back in 2012.

Crackers Ltd

Officially the funnest way to scatter small toys and paper hats across a dinner table, no Christmas would be complete without a set of Christmas crackers. Crackers Ltd hand fill their crackers with gifts for all the family, providing a more unusual selection than mass-produced alternatives. To improve stock levels and manage cashflow across different seasons, Crackers Ltd borrowed £40,000 in 2014.

Dopson Butchers

Stuffing yourself silly is top of everyone’s Christmas list, and if you’re after some beautiful cuts of meat and poultry then Berkshire-based Dopson Butchers will have what you’re looking for. They use locally sourced, high quality produce, adding cheese and condiments to their raw meats range. You can get your turkey in store or even order it online — just make sure you order in time! Dopson Butchers borrowed £10,000 from Funding Circle to help with working capital.

Ashridge Cider

If you’re after something slightly different to compliment your seasonal drinks cabinet, then why not try Ashridge Cider? They’ve created a Mulled & Spicy Artisan Cider especially for winter, and their Sparkling Vintage Brut Cider was featured on the Daily Telegraph’s ‘50 Foods to Try Before you Die’ list! In order to invest in a new cider mill and press to keep up with growing demand, Ashridge Cider borrowed £76,000 from Funding Circle.

Leeds Brewery

Pick up a selection of delicious ales from Leeds Brewery, including our Christmas favourite Gingerbread Stout. Founded by two university friends, Leeds Brewery first opened its doors in 2007 and has since become the largest brewery in the city. They’ve borrowed over £240,000 over 3 loans from Funding Circle since 2015.

That’s all for this week. Next up on our guide we’ll be showcasing ideas for some last minute stocking fillers.

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Enjoy lending. The Funding Circle team