Manton Executives

Cheltenham man diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome opens first premises for six-figure start-up

by Business spotlightNews

A Cheltenham man who struggled to find work after being diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome has seen his bedroom start-up achieve a six-figure turnover – and has now opened his first premises.

Luke Manton, founder of virtual PA providers Manton Executives, has opened the business’s first permanent premises on the back of recent growth, and welcomed two permanent team members as part of ongoing expansion.   

Luke, who is 30 and grew up in Cheltenham, suffered brain damage and was diagnosed with Adult-Onset Tourette’s Syndrome in 2018. After a year-long job search proved unsuccessful, Luke decided to put his marketing and events experience to use and launched Manton Executives in 2020.

The business provides ad-hoc support with a range of online business tasks, from email and calendar management to video conferencing support and social media brand building, operating as a virtual PA from an hour per day.

Now, two years on from its launch, the business has a three-month waiting list for its services, which Luke and his team provide to businesses of all sizes as well as social media influencers and entrepreneurs.

Luke said: “It’s been a rollercoaster couple of years for the business from the uncertainty of setting up, dealing with lockdown, and then building a client base to now expanding, and having our first premises. It’s another huge milestone for us after achieving six-figure turnover this summer.

“It was a tough time for me before I set up the business. I had faced a lot of rejection and had put that down to my Tourette’s, so setting up on my own and then being successful has been a really positive experience, if challenging at times.

“I used to work on this site, and when I heard there was a unit available here, we reached out on a Wednesday and had signed for it on the Friday. It was a very quick decision, and now it really feels like the beating heart of the business as we continue to grow.”

“We want our office space to feel as much like a home as possible – a place that you look forward to working in and has a relaxed feel to it, as well as being inviting and comfortable for our clients.

“It’s all part of a collaborative, flexible working culture that we are building here and that really feeds into our interactions with our clients whether online or in person.”

Space Business Centres Gloucester and Cheltenham are owned by property development company AC Lloyd and offer flexible, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Lucy Iles, site manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “Luke and his team are a fantastic addition to the Space business community, and a prime example of how our units are a great fit for business owners looking to open their first premises.

“The growth that Luke has overseen over the last couple of years is incredible, and we are thrilled to be playing a part in the next phase of his growth.”

For more information about Manton Executives visit www.mantonexecutives.com

To find out more about AC Lloyd Space Business Centres, visit www.aclloydspacebc.com

Pictured: Katie Dutton, Luke Manton and Jane Gillings of Manton Executives

WP 2

SPACE BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Street food favourites hitting the road from Cheltenham base

by Business spotlightNews

A street food business in Gloucestershire has set its sights on conquering the rest of the UK after expanding to a Cheltenham business park.

Cheltenham-based The Woozy Pig is hoping to take its high-quality burgers and hot dogs to festivals, corporate events and weddings nationwide after getting a taste for the national festival circuit.

The event catering business, which is run by professionally trained chef Matt Jefferies, only uses local suppliers and has become a favourite on the Cheltenham street-food scene with regular appearances at the Cheltenham Food Festival and other local events.

After moving to new premises at AC Lloyd Space Business Centre Cheltenham, the Woozy Pig has taken its street food truck to Wing Fest UK at the London Stadium and will head to Herefordshire for Lakefest, the UK’s fastest-growing family festival, in August.

Matt wants to take The Woozy Pig to more large-scale national events as it continues to grow.

He said: “We pride ourselves in using the best local suppliers to create real quality dishes for all sorts of events from weddings and celebrations to corporate functions and music festivals.

“We want to keep the momentum up now because we are gaining traction on the national circuit and are taking on more events in new places to showcase our food.

“Our new unit is a perfect size for us to achieve this as it is in a great location close to town with good national transport links for when we do head across the country for big events.

“We pivoted during lockdown to provide a ‘re-heat at home’ delivery service, which proved extremely popular and helped us to survive. Now that most of the major festivals are back up and running, we want to take our product to as many people as possible both in the region and across the UK.

“We are a fairly small team with just four of us working full time, so we gain huge satisfaction from seeing the business continue to grow, and having our fantastic base in Cheltenham at Space Business Centre and our amazing local suppliers has definitely played a part in that.”

Space Business Centres Gloucester and Cheltenham are owned by property development company AC Lloyd and offer flexible, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Lucy Iles, site manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “It is inspiring to see the hard work that Matt and the team are putting into growing the Woozy Pig brand by consistently impressing wherever they go, and it is no surprise that they are making inroads on the national festival circuit.

“The Woozy Pig is a prime example of how our units can be a catalyst for entrepreneurs to turn a business idea into a success, and we hope that they will keep their strong local roots for years to come.”

Stay up-to-date with The Woozy Pig on Instagram by following @thewoozypig.

Trilvee pic

Pioneering transport start-up heads to Cheltenham for next phase of development

by News

An innovative technology start-up is looking to transform urban transportation from a state-of-the-art business centre in Cheltenham.

Trilvee, which is developing a teleoperated, on-demand transport service to minimise congestion and the need for parking and cut emissions in UK cities while reducing costs for road users, has launched the next phase of its development at AC Lloyd Space Business Centre in Cheltenham.

The company, which is based in London and comprises a team of software and automotive experts, is using the unit as a hardware and design workshop to test and develop prototypes, including a two seat, stabilised, three-wheel electric vehicle to meet most urban transport needs.

The lightweight fully electric vehicle reduces the energy used per mile compared to standard EVs without requiring the materials and energy of resource-intensive EV manufacturing, as well as mitigating the initial cost of a personal electric vehicle and reducing space and energy wasted on unoccupied seats.

Trilvee’s research suggests that around two thirds of all car journeys are single occupant and most of the rest are two.

Once a ride has been requested, an electric vehicle is driven remotely to the customer’s location. The customer gets into the vehicle and self-drives to their destination, whereupon they exit the vehicle, end their ride, and remote operators drive the empty vehicle to the next customer or for top up charging.

Trilvee hopes for its service, which is accessed by requesting a ride via a smartphone app, to start an initial trial in 2023 with full rollout to the public in 2024.

James Campbell, co-founder and Director of Automotive at Trilvee, said: “Space Cheltenham is a perfect development location for us as we have been able to tailor the unit to our specific needs while we perfect our design and hardware.

“It is a very exciting project that started as a conversation among colleagues in the automotive industry and eventually transitioned into an ambitious but achievable means of transport as we explored the potential benefits of on-demand, space-saving travel and how we might be able to bring it to market.

“The work that we are undertaking at Space is vital to our progress in the coming months and years, and the location in general provides opportunities for us to develop our extra-urban network further down the line, with inner-city travel the priority for 2024.”

Space Business Centres Gloucester and Cheltenham are owned by property development company AC Lloyd and offer flexible, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Lucy Iles, site manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “It’s been fascinating to see the work that Trilvee has been doing and we are thrilled that they have chosen Space Business Centres as an ideal location outside of London to house their workshop.

“We are excited to see what James and the team can achieve over the next few years.”

For more information about Trilvee, visit www.trilvee.com

AC Lloyd Tachbrook Park-6353

Space Business Centre Warwick to create hundreds of jobs

by News

The final development in a major business and industrial park in Warwickshire is set to create hundreds of jobs and scores of new companies in Warwick and Leamington.

The Space Business Centre Warwick is being created by developer AC Lloyd Commercial and is designed to attract start-up and expanding enterprises and will be a mix of office, industrial and storage units and will provide short-term flexible accommodation to help the businesses grow.

The scheme, which will feature 61 units ranging from 200 sq ft to 500 sq ft, is the final development at Tachbrook Park which was started by AC Lloyd in the early 1980s, and is now home to hundreds of companies.

AC Lloyd has successful Space Business Centres in Gloucester and Cheltenham and has already had strong interest in the £5.5 million Warwick scheme which is not due for completion until the first quarter of next year.

Mark Edwards, Managing Director of AC Lloyd Commercial, said: “It is totally fitting that the final development to complete Tachbrook Park is designed to help companies grow and thrive as, over the last four decades, that is exactly what the park has done for the local and the region’s economy.

“Our Space Business Centres are designed entirely to help companies grow. There are monthly licences rather than longer leases, and there is a range of spaces and uses which make them suitable for a wide variety of businesses.

“We have found that they are the perfect springboard for young companies, many of which have been developed in people’s homes or garages, and they offer the first step on the commercial property ladder.

“The Warwick and Leamington area has always been a hive of innovation and entrepreneurship and we have been really pleased with the level of interest, and hopefully many of the future tenants will thrive and grow to be employers on the park.”

The completion of the steel frame work for the 35,000 sq ft development was marked by a visit from Warwick District Council Planning Cabinet Member Councillor John Cooke and Craig Humphrey, managing director of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub.

Humphrey said the post-pandemic timing of the development could be perfect for many young companies.

He said: “Many people used the pandemic to re-evaluate their working lives and anecdotally many have started their own businesses. Two years down the line many of them will be ready to make the step from home into dedicated premises, and this scheme will allow them to do that without the long-term commitment of a more traditional route.

“It is always really important for any area to have a pipeline of growing businesses, and the Space Business Centre will help feed that.”

Councillor Cooke, who is also a county councillor, said: “Tachbook Park is a jewel in Warwickshire’s commercial crown and is home to some of our key companies, so it is great to think that the future generation of economic drivers may well be starting life at this scheme.

“AC Lloyd has been shaping Tachbook Park across four decades, and this will ensure that continues well into the future.”

Amelie Rose Crafts

SPACE BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Former accountant expands craft business to professional premises after outgrowing home studio

by Business spotlightNews

Lisa’s business, Amelie Rose Crafts, has gone from strength to strength since she launched it at her home in 2017. Find out more about her story as part of our May business spotlight.

A Gloucestershire craft maker who quit her corporate job to spend six months working with lions in Africa before becoming self-employed is now hoping to take the craft world by storm after setting up her first studio.

Lisa Halls, who left her 25-year career as a chartered accountant to see the world and start a family, has expanded her handmade art business out of her home and into its first studio after enjoying an eight-fold increase in sales in the last twelve months.

Amelie Rose Crafts, which was set up by Lisa in 2017 to support her and her daughter Amelie, is now a resident business at Space Business Centre in Cheltenham, adding to her Etsy page and newly launched website.

Lisa makes high-quality, handcrafted artistic pieces through a unique combination of paper quilling and pebble art, including items to suit a range of occasions and personalised gifts.

Before setting up her business, Lisa spent six months helping to rehabilitate lions in Zimbabwe, which involved breeding them in captivity and raising them to be strong enough to be released into the wild, after deciding there was more to life than her high-flying accounting job.

Lisa, operating out of Unit 20 at the Cheltenham site, is continually looking to innovate her art and launch new ranges incorporating a number of crafting techniques, as well as holding arts and crafts workshops.

She said: “I was inspired by the pebble art I saw while on holiday in Devon and thought that would be a world away from the rat race and office politics of the corporate world.

“After so many years being career driven, I realised I also had a previously hidden creative side, so I started making and selling pieces at the Cotswold Galleria which unfortunately closed last year. I then had to start generating most of my sales through Etsy and Facebook.

“The business has been a great way to make a living while allowing me to be there for my daughter as much as possible. She is a massive support to me.

“It is a really exciting time for us with a brand-new website now up and running too. 

“We are one of the few businesses which were more active during lockdown, and we are hoping to capitalise on that by combining our online presence with a place where we can speak face-to-face with our customers and show off the things we create.”

Space Business Centre Cheltenham is owned by property investment company AC Lloyd, and is one of their two centres in Gloucestershire which offer flexible, easy in and easy out, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Lucy Iles, Site Manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, added: “It’s been inspiring to see Lisa setting up her store as she is a determined individual who works extremely hard, and is incredibly talented at what she does.

“She creates some beautiful items with her materials, turning them into bespoke works of art and we are delighted to have her join us at Space Cheltenham.”

For more information and to view Lisa’s online shop, visit www.amelierosecrafts.co.uk, www.Etsy.com/shop/amelierosecraftgifts, or www.Facebook.com/amelierosecrafts.

67741246-f32c-4c0b-b19a-a7c18ead5a68

Gloucester man to take on London Marathon for charity in memory of keen runner dad

by EventsNewsUncategorized

A Gloucester business owner is preparing to take on the London Marathon 2022 in memory of his father, and has set his sights on a fundraising feat to give back to the charity that cared for his dad.

James Brown, owner of JB Event Hire at Space Business Centre in Gloucester, is hoping to raise £5,000 for Sue Ryder as he prepares for the big race on Sunday, October 2.

James, who started running 10ks and half-marathons after his dad, Ian, passed away following a six-year battle with cancer, is hosting a series of fundraising activities for #TeamSueRyder, starting with a charity car wash on Sunday, April 3 from 10am until 4pm.

Sue Ryder, which is based locally at the Leckhampton Court Hospice, provided end-of-life care to Ian and bereavement support to James and his family as his condition deteriorated.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2014, Ian started running, against medical advice, to stay fit and raise money for Cancer Research UK. He completed the London Marathon in 2016, raising over £20k for a variety of charities despite having his right lung removed two years before.

Ian had been accepted on to the London Marathon in 2019, but was unable to take part as his condition began to restrict his mobility.

In the summer of 2020, doctors found more than 20 inoperable tumours on his brain. Sue Ryder commenced palliative care at Ian’s home, visiting at least twice a day to support Ian and his family.

On August 16, 2020, Ian was taken to the Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice for round-the-clock care. In the midst of the pandemic James was unable to visit the hospice, but care teams were at the end of the phone so the family could get updates as often as they liked. He died two days later.

James said: “My dad was given six months to live after his first diagnosis, but proved the doctors wrong and he made it to six years. I started running in May 2020 in the hope of running alongside him, but sadly never got the chance.

“I’ve caught the running bug over the last couple of years and doing 10k runs has helped me to lose three-and-a-half stone while doing something that connects me to my dad.

“I completed the Cheltenham Half Marathon in September 2021 in support of Sue Ryder, and now I’ve got my sights on the TCS London Marathon to give something back for their incredible support.

“We’ve set a £5,000 fundraising target, and are kicking off with a charity car wash at Space Business Centre in Quedgeley.

“We are looking at hosting some other fundraising activities in the build-up to October to help us reach our target, but we’d love to see people in the local area showing their support.”

Matt Reay, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have James on #TeamSueRyder for the TCS London Marathon 2022. James is a huge supporter of the hospice, running events and raising vital funds but also volunteering his time, like collecting hundreds of Christmas trees as part of our Treecycling initiative in January.

“As a charity we are heavily reliant on the fundraising and volunteering support of local people, organisations and groups so we can continue to be there when it matters. We wish James all the best in his training and fundraising ahead of the big day in October.”

Space Business Centre Gloucester, which is owned by property development company AC Lloyd, is providing additional site space and support for the charity car wash.

A minimum donation of £5 is required, with tea, coffee and cake available from Nicky’s Cakes & Bakes.

Lucy Iles, site manager at Space Business Centres in Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “Cancer has changed the life of so many wonderful people and I admire James for stepping up to raise money for such a worthy local cause.

“We at Space Cheltenham and Gloucester are behind him every step of the way and will be cheering him on to cross the finish line, as well as rolling up our sleeves to help wash some cars on the 3rd.”

For more information and to make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/james-brown229

Caption: James Brown, owner of JB Event Hire in Gloucester, is hoping to raise £5,000 for #TeamSueRyder when he takes on the London Marathon in October

Sam Orange Frog SM

Lampshade and homeware designer moves into first office space in Gloucester

by News

A Gloucestershire businesswoman who discovered a gap in the market when she created lampshades for her daughter’s bedroom has moved into her first office space.

Sam Spencer set up Orange Frog Boutique when she was furloughed during lockdown after being unable to find the lampshade designs her daughter wanted for her bedroom makeover.

She teamed up with her mother Sue and set about creating their own lampshades, and after showing parents at the local school Sam realised that there was a wider market for her creations.

Fifteen months after forming the business it continues to specialise in lampshades, but has expanded out into cushions, pouffes and a variety of eclectic homeware and gifts.

Orange Frog Boutique has also begun offering a bespoke lampshade service, where customers are able to choose fabrics to design their own lampshade.

The homeware business has now moved its operations into a unit at Space Business Centre in Gloucester.

The new office space will triple up as a manufacturing centre, office for administration and shop for customers to buy homeware and gifts.

Sam is still working part-time as a bookkeeper but says moving into the office at Space Business Centre is the next step toward making her passion for arts and crafts into a full-time job.

“Since we launched the business in July 2020 it has been incredibly well received and I’ve eventually outgrown the home office,” she said.

“In lockdown, we set about doing up my eldest daughter’s bedroom for her birthday and wanted to make it ‘grown up’ using bright paint and recycled furniture. I just couldn’t find a lampshade to complement the design – we wanted something different and not run of the mill.

“So my mother and I set about making our own lampshades. The school mums loved them and when lockdown hit I decided to make some more, which led to the creation of Orange Frog Boutique a couple of months later.

“Our online shop has been a great success and we’re receiving orders from all over the country, from right up in Scotland down to Cornwall. The quirky nature of our products has proved popular and now we’re branching out into other homeware.

“My dream would be for this to be my full-time job and be able to hire staff and grow as an interiors business – securing this new unit at Space Business Centre sets me on my way to that.

“It’s a perfect space for us and the rolling contract reducing all the risk a small business takes when taking up its first commercial space.”

Space Business Gloucester is owned by property investment company AC Lloyd, and is one of their two centres in Gloucestershire which offer flexible, easy in and easy out, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Katy Lawson, General Manager at Space Business Centre, added: “I visited Orange Frog Boutique premises and found it mesmerising, all the designs and colours are amazing and the quality of each item is extremely high. 

“I spent quite a while looking because in every nook and cranny there is something unique and amazing.  I can well understand people wanting to design their own furnishings in order to be different from buying off the high street and in large stores and I can see how Orange Frog would be just perfect for them.”

Space Business Centre 40

Jill’s Trains arrive at Gloucester site

by News

A driving instructor has swapped big wheels for little wheels after successfully launching a new business in Gloucester.

Jill Stevens ran Jill’s School of Motoring in Ledbury and Hereford for 12 years until she was forced off the roads by the pandemic.

During lockdown, Jill and her partner, Steve Hunt, decided to clear out the spare room of their home in Newent in Gloucestershire where they have lived together for four years when they came across a forgotten black bin liner of miniature trains.

After giving a few trains to Steve’s grandson, Jill decided to put the rest on eBay and was amazed by the response.

That sparked an idea for a new business – and Jill’s Trains was launched on eBay to sell miniature trains, tracks and accessories.

It has proved to be such a success she has now moved into a 357 sq ft unit at Space Business Centre in Gloucester and will be selling items ranging from Hornby to Bachmann and Playcraft to Wrenn.

Jill explained: “When lockdown happened, like a lot of people, I was stuck at home thinking what to do and we started sorting out a spare room. We found a black bin liner of model trains – Steve is a builder and had worked at a recycling centre where somebody had left it and he had asked if he could take it.

“We gave a few trains to Steve’s grandson and the rest we put on eBay – everything sold really quickly so last summer we decided to buy similar items online from auction houses.

“A good friend of Steve’s, Jim Street, carries out any repairs and we appreciate his work because we couldn’t have progressed so quickly without his skills and we have learnt a great deal – and there is still much so much to learn from him.

“I have been working from home in our spare room but the business has been so successful that I needed somewhere bigger.

“Steve heard about the units at Space Business Centre so we went to have a look and have decided to go for it.

“It is also going to mean I can increase the stock I sell because companies such as Hornby won’t deal with you unless you have a business address.

“I’m still buying from auction houses and flea markets and I’m really enjoying it. I loved being a driver instructor but if somebody had said to me a year ago, I wouldn’t be an instructor, I would be selling model trains, I wouldn’t have believed them.

“My dad died a few years ago but I know he will be looking down at me and smiling because he was very much into trains and he would have found it amusing.

“Space Business Centre is great for businesses starting up because the only overhead cost is your rent and other services. I have started with a smaller unit but I would like to progress to a bigger unit because I have already been able to get trade accounts with bigger companies to it is already opening so many more doors.”

Space Business Gloucester is owned by property investment company AC Lloyd, and is one of their two centres in Gloucestershire which offer flexible, easy in and easy out, multi-use units ranging from 275 to 775 sq ft.

Katy Lawson, site manager at the Space Business Centres, said it was fantastic Jill’s Trains was proving such a hit with model trains enthusiasts.

“Lockdown has led to many people considering their future careers as well as taking up new hobbies or reviving their interest in old hobbies,” she said.

“Jill’s Trains is a train heaven for model enthusiasts and I felt like the fictional character Sheldon Cooper from the hugely popular television programme The Big Bang Theory when visiting her unit and being surrounded by so many trains and tracks.

“Jill stumbled across her new business adventure by accident but it is already paying dividends and we wish her the best of luck in her new transport career.”