Ramsdens Financial Ltd is a privately owned business which was founded in Middlesbrough in the 1950's by Herbert Smith, father of the current Executive Chairman, Stewart Smith.

Ramsdens Financial Ltd was primarily involved in Home Collected Credit until 1997 when it diversified its activities into pawnbroking, as a franchisee of John Ramsdens Pawnbrokers Ltd.

In 2002 the company acquired the Ramsdens Business from it's franchisor and began a rapid expansion into Pawnbroking and related services. The company is now the largest independently owned Pawnbroker and Jeweller in the UK with over 40 Branches throughout Northern England and Scotland.

Ramsdens operates a high profile E-Commerce division, principally through our three websites www.RamsdensForCash.co.uk, www.GotGoldGetCash.co.uk and www.PremierPawnbroking.co.uk.

In August 2009 Ramsdens Financial Limited expanded its Pawnbroking activities with the launch of its online Pawnbroking Service, Premier Pawnbroking. This new online facility will enable Ramsdens to service a wider customer base across the UK.

Ramsdens is one of the UK's leading purchasers of scrap and unwanted gold which is promoted through our industry leading television advertising and www.GotGoldGetCash.co.uk website.

In 1997 the company expanded its activities by entering the pawnbroking sector of our market, initially as a franchisee of John Ramsden Pawnbrokers.

Pawnbroking was seen as a logical extension of our relationship lending, a strategic opportunity to maximise the synergies between Pawnbroking and Home Credit and contribute to the fixed costs of operating our Home Credit branches in Sunderland and Middlesbrough .

2002 saw the acquisition of the franchisor John Ramsden and the opportunity to undertake a major expansion of our activities in this division. Ramsdens now has a significant and expanding presence in the UK 's pawnbroking and cheque cashing sector. Ramsdens is the largest independant Pawnbroker in the UK . (ref Plimsoll)

If you would like to know more about our Franchise opportunities then please click here.

We set the highest ethic and professional standards at all times. We want all our relationships to be based on honesty, respect and fairness and a commitment to dialogue and transparency.

We take responsibility for our actions as a relationship lender, both individually and as a group, within the communities we work in.

We value expertise and encourage individuality but work as a team. Our employees are our biggest asset and we are proud to be Investor in People (IIP) accredited.

We are passionate about delivering the best possible service to our customers and take pride in achieving this.

We look to replicate success, share best practice, learn from our mistakes and develop ideas so that we continue to improve what we offer our customers and become market leaders in our industry.

Ramsdens Financial looks to a positive future.

The continued development of our staff through internal and external training programmes will ensure that we have the necessary skills to meet customers' needs and demands.

The continued investment in our bespoke computer systems, developed by our in house IT team, will enable Ramsdens to continue to be innovative and offer industry leading products and services.

We are committed to growing our business divisions through acquisition and opening of new green field branches.

If you have a business for sale that offers any of the following services;

• pawnbroking,
• cheque cashing,
• jewellers,
• bureau de change,

We are interested in talking to you.

Stewart Smith

Executive Chairman

Aug 2009.

stewart.smith@ramsdensfinancial.co.uk