It's just two more nights before Christmas and as we come to the end of this annual feature, it's the turn of Andy Taylor, Sales Director at Haydock Finance to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions.


1. What were you hoping to achieve by December when you sat down in January, and did you get there?

We set out in January with the goal of hitting the number by December, and we’re on track to achieve it. This year has also been a great learning opportunity—our strong first half showed what we’re capable of, and the challenges in the second half have highlighted clear areas for improvement. Overall, we’re ending the year in a solid position with valuable insights to build on.

2. Tell us about three moments from 2025 that made you proud of your business.

Listening to our competition constantly telling me that they all want to be like Haydock! Winning ‘Funder of the Year’ from our biggest brokers which was voted for by their employees. Seeing our people, out there, on podcasts/panels/magazine articles actively being pursued to give their opinion. This shows Haydock Finance is valued and our opinion is notable.

3. What's been your biggest headache this year – supply chains, recruitment, costs, or something else entirely?

The Budget… like most years, SMEs look for excuses not to commit to purchases, understandably so as they are considerable amounts of money, but scaremongering prior to the budget as to how it could affect SMEs definitely affected confidence and slowed purchase activity down, which clearly had an effect on us.

4. If you had to describe 2025 using a Christmas film title, which would you choose?

It’s a Wonderful Life

5. What's your number one priority when the office reopens in January?

Hit the ground running- all to often January is slow for new business and we start the year behind the volume. Also to set the scene in our Sales/Ops/Credit Senior Management Conference in January for 2026.

6. Which business in the region has caught your eye this year - for all the right reasons?

Our neighbour and customers, Asset Finance Solutions Ltd. They continue to grow and support SME’s incredibly strongly in the North-West and countrywide.

7. Crystal ball time: what does 2026 hold for businesses like yours?

It’ll be tough again, but it always is. Defaults have been very low through and since COVID, at some point this could change and the incredibly resilient UK SMEs may start to struggle more. Let's face it, they have had pretty much every adversity thrown at them over the past 5 or 6 years, so at some point there may be a straw that breaks the back of the SME camel!

8. This Christmas, are you a "full production" household or a "feet up and telly" one?

We’re a holiday household! Previous Christmas’ we have done Mexico twice, Cape town and then last year California and Vegas for new year. We head to Australia on 19th, a tour of the West culminating on NYE on a boat on Sydney harbour!

9. Crackers, Brussels sprouts, or pudding – which one best describes your year?

Crackers…. Very busy; lots of progress, but still lots to do!

10. Which business book, podcast or piece of advice has been your "surprise hit" of the year?

How to be a CEO, interesting read and learnt a lot.

11. As you wind down for the festive break, what are you most looking forward to switching off from?

Never switch off really- emails will still be flashing up in Australia. Maybe it's nice to not have to attend meetings for a couple of weeks and undeniably be a little quieter!

12. In twenty-five words or fewer, what would you say to your customers, teams and stakeholders as we head into 2026?

A huge thank you! You make us, our team and our customers – we are nothing without you. Another thank you to our stakeholders, you enable us to be who we are. And finally, we can and will get better- we’ve made huge strides over the past 5/6 years, but there is more to come from Haydock.