Left to right Sonja Murphy, administration & finance manager for the Nightingale Premier Healthcare Group, husband wife team, Drs Sondhi and Stephen Long, Allied Irish Bank (GB)

Allied Irish Bank (GB) has backed the acquisition of three nursing homes in Norwich, Bristol and London, sealing the largest deal for its Midlands healthcare specialists in 2006.
The £15m deal also included the refinancing of the existing business portfolio of Croydon based purchasers, the Nightingale Premier Healthcare Group.
All 140 staff were retained in the deal, which was led by Steve Long, Allied Irish Bank's senior manager responsible for new business in the healthcare sector, south Birmingham.
Dr R and Dr S Sondhi, joint directors of the Nightingale Premier Healthcare Group said: "We were incredibly impressed with the fast 24 hour response from Allied Irish Bank to our initial requirements and we knew they would work hard with us. Their corporate financial guidance and professional approach to our business was excellent and we were 100 per cent certain in the knowledge of their commitment to make this deal work.
"We immediately decided to work with them on our larger deal and we certainly have no regrets. Allied Irish Bank kept their word at every stage and we had immediate and direct access to all those involved at all times of the day, an essential level of service when negotiating a deal of this size."
The Nightingale Premier Healthcare Group is a new client for Allied Irish Bank (GB) and operates a portfolio of three nursing homes in the Croydon area and one in the Lake District. They recently became a stakeholder in a Coventry care home scheme.
Val O'Neill, senior manager, corporate business Allied Irish Bank (GB) and head of the healthcare specialist team in south Birmingham added: "This provided a perfect platform for Allied Irish Bank (GB) to demonstrate the high level of quality service we provide. This has subsequently led to a myriad of further opportunities in the healthcare sector. Not least that we are currently reviewing a number of opportunities for the Nightingale Premier Healthcare Group across London and the Midlands."
This is the second deal completed with the healthcare group in 2006. The first deal included a £1m transaction for the acquisition of three small commercial units situated in London that have now been let.