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New venture begins thanks to council grant – soft play centre in Blackwood
A new soft play centre in Pengam, Blackwood has opened its doors thanks to the Caerphilly council and UK Steel Enterprise, start-up business grant. The start-up business grant offers up to £500 to help residents, who may not be able to access other funding, to set up their first, full time business enabling it to grow and develop. Cerys Mayne, Owner of Tumble Jaks said: I became inspired for personal reasons to open a soft play centre where adults and their children can come and enjoy. The grant and the support from Caerphilly council were amazing. The girls I spoke to were so helpful and without the grant I would not have been able to afford to buy much of the kitchen equipment. Tumble Jaks opened on Wednesday 14th September and has received great success ever since. With opening day reaching full capacity, the centre continues to prove its popularity even during off peak times. Cerys used Facebook to advertise and promote her business and was blown away by the amount of support. Using Facebook to promote the business was a great success. So much so, I have decided to advertise my events on there. The Halloween Disco has already been sold out because of social media and through word of mouth. I hope to do the same with my Santa’s Grotto for Christmas event. Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Planning, Regeneration and Sustainable Development said: It is great to see the positive impact the start-up grant has made to Cerys and her new venture. This is the very…
Start-up grant gives new Caerphilly business a boost
A new business in Caerphilly county borough has recently received start-up support thanks to Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise. Specialist recruitment business Profession Direct Ltd has been awarded a start-up grant, as well as business support from Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise, allowing the new business to purchase IT equipment and marketing materials. Profession Direct Ltd is a specialist recruitment business which offers recruitment, training and consultancy services. Simon Hughes, Managing Director of Profession Direct said: Profession Direct Ltd was formed out of the wish to capitalise on the demand for professional recruitment services in the specialist professions of financial services, medical, education, legal and estate agents, as well as utilities and energy. Thank you to Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise for the start-up support that they have provided, which has given our new business a firm foundation to build on. Cllr Ken James, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Sustainable Development said: I am thrilled that Caerphilly County Borough Council has been able to assist in the start-up of yet another business within Caerphilly county borough. The grant and support received by Profession Direct Ltd from Caerphilly County Borough Council and UK Steel Enterprise will enable the new business to grow to its full potential. The business start-up grant enables residents of Caerphilly county borough who are not able to access any other source of funding, to set up a full-time business for the first time. The funding is a discretionary grant and can provide up to 50% of eligible…
New Ladies Boutique Opens
A new ladies boutique has opened on Blackwood High Street directly opposite the Maxime Cinema. So whilst the boys can enjoy watching a film in the cinema, the girls can shop in Betty’s Boutique which is the latest addition to Blackwood’s growing list of fashion retailers. The boutique is run by mother and daughter Nicola & Molly Page and is named after Nicola‘s mother. Nicola has been in business for over 30 years, previously running Creative Homes and Bojangles Boutique. Molly is in her second year in University in Cardiff studying for a fashion degree. Nicola said: At Betty’s Boutique we offer the latest ladies fashions as well as classic styles to suit all ages from 17 to 87! With our wide range of clothes, bags, shoes, jewellery and gifts we’ve got something for everyone. Molly said: My degree work keeps me up to date with the latest trends in the fashion industry and it’s great to use that knowledge to help choose the designs that we stock.
Get registering if you’re a grower, maker, brewer or baker of tasty produce!
Once again Cwm a Mynydd and the South Wales Rural Development Programme Teams, Cywain and Farmers’ Union of Wales invite you to a Workshop and networking event to be held on 18th October at Cowbridge and 19th October in Abergavenny. The event will focus on marketing and branding, with a talk and discussion led by Tessa Stuart, best selling author of ‘Packed – The Food Entrepreneur’s Guide: How to Get Noticed and How to Be Loved’ and ‘Flying Off the Shelves: The Food Entrepreneur’s Guide to Selling’. The Abergavenny event will also feature the Abergavenny Food Festival Team talking about ‘How to get in, in 2017’ and Robb Merchant from Whitecastle Vinyard providing insights from their producer business. BakedByMel will be talking about her business, product and experiences at the Cowbridge event. Both events will feature a number of social media workshops that are optional and of course space for networking. Please sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FWZFYWN Original Article
Caerphilly is a Cut Above
Another new business has opened in Caerphilly town centre. Aspros Barbers is located on Cardiff Road and is run by Theo Aspros who has been a barber for the past last 16 years working in Cardiff. After years spent renting a chair in someone else’s salon, Theo decided it was time to start his own business. A chance drive through Caerphilly town centre convinced him that he had found the perfect place to begin a new chapter of his career. As well as cutting gents hair the barbers has installed a special chair with a television to enable children to watch their favourite program whilst they have their hair cut. The fit out of the barbers includes sofas and a coffee machine to keep customers happy whilst they wait. Theo comes from a long line of hairdressers and is particularly proud to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and proudly displays his grandfather’s original hair clippers on the wall. Theo said: When I drove through Caerphilly with my wife Georgina and son Nicholas she thought what a lovely little town it was and the perfect place for us to open our first shop. I look forward to welcoming people to Aspros Barbers and getting to know them. Image: One of his grandfather’s original hair clippers
Bargoed’s Italian Secret
Behind the longstanding success of the Ricci’s Square Café in Bargoed town centre is a secret recipe for Italian ice cream which has been handed down for generations.The café, which is located on Hanbury Square, was first established in 1909 in Fleur de Lys by Luigi and Clotilde Ricci before moving to Bargoed in 1929. Ricci’s Square Café was subsequently run by the next generation brothers Giovanni and Aldo before being passed down to Giovanni‘s sons Andrew and Dominic who run the business today. The café has always served ice cream made in a single vanilla flavor to a recipe which is closely guarded family secret, Ricci’s also offer a range of home cooked meals. Dominic said: We are incredibly proud of the heritage of our business which has successful adapted to changes without losing its identity and of course we sell our famous ice cream made to our special recipe. Andrew said: Our coffee is brewed by Ferrari Espresso to our own unique roast which gives it a very distinctive flavour. I believe we serve the best coffee in the Rhymney Valley!
New Name Same Great Service
It’s all change for the team who run Superdrug in Bargoed town centre as it changes over to the parent companies other brand Savers.Over the last month the team lead by manager Steven Gravett has been hard at work transforming the retail unit on Royale Square into a brand new Savers store with a totally new shop fit out. As a brand, value retailer Savers sells a wide range of: pharmaceuticals, fragrance, household products and cosmetics including Rimmel and Maybelline. For manager Steven the considerable logistical challenge involved was something he took in his stride having served with the Armed Forces around the world before changing to a career in retail. Steven said: The team have done a great job and worked really hard. Since we have changed over to Savers we have seen a big increase in customers so its been very busy serving more people and stocking the displays with new product lines
Bargoed Cuts Back to the 1960’s
Bargoed town centre welcomes a new hair salon with a difference. Retro Hair Studio, situated next to the Hanbury Chapel Library, offers its customers a chance to step into the 1960’s and 70’s. Immediately you enter the salon you are immersed in a different world where everything is retro, from the 1960’s style telephone on the counter and the record player in the window, to the sound of the music that shaped a generation. Retro Hair Studio is owned by Jeff Vernon who has worked in hairdressing for over 32 years in a host of different places including Blackwood, Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Cardiff. Jeff said: I wanted to open a gent’s barbers and ladies hair salon that was a bit different. I love everything about the 1960’s and 70’s so when people visit Retro Hair Studio they will not only get a great hair cut but also experience a little piece of the nostalgia.
Time Please!
It’s time to welcome another new business to Bargoed town centre. The Square Royale pub/restaurant was officially opened this month by the mayor of Caerphilly County Borough Mrs Dianne Price.The new venue, which is run by Russell and Adele Sorrell, is situated in Royale Square in the heart of Bargoed. Russell who lives in Gilfach, has 25 years experience in the licensing trade, 17 years of those were with national pub chain J D Wetherspoon. The Square Royale offers a full range of food including: breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. The naming of the Square Royale was inspired by the renaming of Royale Square as part of the Bargoed regeneration scheme. The venue is also part of the Pubwatch scheme which is run by Gwent Police in partnership with the Council and local licensees. Russell said: We are delighted that after a lot of hard work The Square Royale is finally open. I know from my experience what it takes to run a successful family pub/restaurant so we have created a relaxed friendly atmosphere that everyone can enjoy. We are keen to promote our evenings of live music with local bands and will also be screening BT Sport. The Square Royale is run by Russell and Adele Sorrell.