DM Space

Mobile bar service created by Gloucestershire woman heads to new permanent base

by Business spotlightNews

A Gloucestershire woman who set up a mobile bar as a part-time project is hoping her new permanent HQ will help serve up even more success.

Leanne Matthews, 31, has lived in Cheltenham for the last 10 years and launched event bar hire business The Drunken Mare in 2018, providing cocktails and bar service across events, weddings and celebrations alongside her full-time job.

After two years packed with events every weekend, Leanne took the business on full time in 2020, launching an online cocktail subscription service to help the business survive during the pandemic.

The former insurance professional has now opened her first permanent premises at Space Business Centre Gloucester, where she is able to meet clients, manage stock, and experiment with new cocktail creations as she bids to take her business to more events across the country.

The Drunken Mare offers a fully customisable event bar service, with the mobile horse box able to switch between a gin bar, cocktail station, or beer shack – all specified by the hosts.

In addition to a range of festivals and weddings in Gloucestershire and beyond, Leanne provided bar services at Love Island winners Alex and Olivia Bowen’s luxury safari-themed baby shower last year.

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.

Leanne said: “I used to work in insurance and ran the bar hire business on the side every weekend. And then when the pandemic arrived, fortunately we were able to keep going by offering a home cocktail delivery kit.

“It feels like the business has come a long way since then, and it’s really exciting to now be moving out of the home as it continues to grow. We have a packed events schedule with lots of weddings and festivals, so it’s brilliant to have this new facility to help service this.

“To have moved out of my living room feels like a huge step, and I’m looking forward to taking the business to another level in the coming months and years with the flexibility of having a rolling 30-day lease.”

Lucy Iles, Site Manager at Space Business Centre Cheltenham, said: “Leanne is a fantastic addition to our business community in Gloucester, and adds to a really strong line-up of catering and hospitality specialists who cover events across the country from their base at Space Cheltenham.

“She is already well established in the region, and we are thrilled she has chosen Space to help take her business to the next level.”

To find out more about The Drunken Mare visit www.thedrunkenmare.co.uk

For more information about Space Business Centres Cheltenham and Gloucester visit www.aclloydspacebc.com

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Gloucestershire businesses get behind local care charity

by News

Dozens of small business owners in Gloucestershire have thrown their support behind a local charity providing care and support for disabled children and young adults as part of a 12-month fundraising partnership.

Resident business owners at Space Business Centres in Gloucester and Cheltenham have chosen the Spring Centre, a Quedgeley based charity which provides care, advice and activities for 90 local children and young adults with additional needs and disabilities and their families, as their charity partner for this year.

The organisation, based at Gardner House in Olympus Business Park, is just a few minutes’ walk from Space Gloucester, with facilities including a playground, specialised sensory play equipment and a young adults centre to support their programme of activities.

Space Cheltenham and Gloucester are owned by property developers AC Lloyd. More than 100 small businesses operate across the two sites, and all will have the opportunity to help fundraise for the Spring Centre throughout the year thanks to the new link.

The first fundraising event, a coffee and cake morning, will take place on Wednesday, April 5 with all proceeds set to be donated to the Spring Centre.

The Spring Centre was established in 1994 and provides support throughout the Gloucestershire area, with services including after school clubs, sensory play sessions and day trips.

Gail Harrison, Marketing and Administration Assistant at the Spring Centre, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as the charity partner of Space Business Centres Gloucester and Cheltenham for this year.

“The team have been so supportive in this early stage and I am looking forward to working with them to raise money for our wide range of activities and support that we provide to people across the area.”

During school term-time, the charity operates a preschool family drop-in service where parents can get funding advice and access support services, as well as themed sensory play sessions and after school clubs with hot food provision for children over eight.

The centre also organises day trips and respite activities for children over 8, family focused ‘stay and play’ sessions for children under 8 and a sibling support group during the school holidays.

It also runs a young adult day care service for users aged between 16 and 35, which includes a dedicated lounge area, kitchen and craft zone to support a weekly programme of skill-based learning.

Lucy Iles, site manager at AC Lloyd Space Business Centres, said: “It is wonderful to have a local charity that does great work in our community as our chosen charity for the year.

“We will be supporting the Spring Centre through various events and activities to raise funds, so they can continue to support disabled children and young adults, and their families in our community – and we hope to see lots of new faces at our first event in April.”

Black Belt Space

Martial arts belt makers move into new Gloucester base to keep up with global demand

by Business spotlightNews

A Gloucestershire couple who supply martial arts belts across the world have moved their business out of the home to keep up with global demand.

Anja Hill, a martial art tutor originally from Germany and now living in Gloucestershire, has run Black Belt Embroidery, a specialist martial arts embroidery business since 2010, with her husband Tim Hill, who she met through the martial arts community, joining the team in 2019. 

And now, the couple are celebrating sewing up new orders as they move into a bigger business premises at Space Business Centre Gloucester to meet demand.  

Anja spotted a lack of options in the UK market to customise the belts used to represent a student’s ability level and decided to start her own business in the two-room top floor of the couple’s home.

Over a decade in business, the company continues to go from strength to strength and now supplies belt to students, instructors and martial art clubs across the world, expanding its services to include options to customise existing belts, buy pre-designed belts or create their own.  

Following an increase in domestic and international orders from countries including Sweden, Australia and the United States, and the couple wanted to expand their premises and purchase new machinery to meet demand.

The couple knew they wanted a unit near to their Gloucestershire home, and were attracted to Space Business Centre in Gloucester due to the flexible contract lengths and variety of unit sizes on offer.

Anja said: “We both work as instructors in the martial arts and started the business over a decade ago, because we are really passionate about working in the sport we love and proud to have expanded our client base and improved product range.

“Following a house downsize, we struggled with storage for the business and decided to look at renting alternate premises and really liked the look of Space Gloucester, with its easily commutable location and flexible contracts.

“The Space team were great as we worked through our application and we couldn’t be happier with the move, with the mezzanine level of our unit being the perfect layout for creating separation between the office space upstairs and the embroidery machines downstairs.”

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 AC Lloyd Space Business in Gloucester, said: “It is great see how easily Anja and Tim at Black Belt Embroidery have settled into their unit since arriving at Space Business Centre.

“It is wonderful to welcome Black Belt Embroidery, a unique growing business as part of the community at Space Gloucester and I look forward to hearing about their future success.”

Fill Your Boots

Zero-waste shop celebrates third anniversary at Space

by Uncategorized

A Gloucester nurse is celebrating her third year helping people cut down on plastic after opening a zero-waste essentials shop during the pandemic.  

Private care nurse and mum of three, Louise Coleman launched loose food and home essentials shop Fill Your Boots at Space Business Centre Gloucester in January 2020.

Having been open only a matter of weeks before the pandemic and facing an uncertain future, Louise is now celebrating her third year in operation and is hoping to reach more of the Gloucestershire public.

The outlet offers customers a range of loose food, household items and eco-friendly products with a focus on sustainable, packaging-free shopping, as well as zero-waste party pack hires.

Louise was inspired to start the business after her children made her more aware of the impact plastic packaging has on the environment.

She said: “The pandemic was unintentionally a great time for me to start the business. Customers were able to spend more time choosing their purchases and thinking reflectively about the food they purchased, and lots of them have shopped with us ever since.

“The flexibility offered by units at the Space Business Centre also helped with the changing of restrictions, meaning we were able to respond quickly to keep customers safe.

“The short-term contracts available also helped to ease my worries during that time of upheaval and have given me the flexibility to grow my business the way I want to.

“With all my children attending school from next year, I am hoping to really grow the business and with the potential to move into a new unit, the future is looking bright.”

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 AC Lloyd Space Business in Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “It is absolutely brilliant to see how much Fill Your Boots has grown since arriving at the Space Business Park in Gloucester.

“Fill Your Boots is a wonderful member of the community here as we continue to expand our retail offering, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy a different way of food shopping that helps customers reduce their impact on the environment while enjoying a friendly and engaging shopping experience.”

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Model business is scaling up

by Business spotlightNews

An independent Gloucester business has scaled up to a larger premises to help meet customer demand after a successful first year in the models and collectables trade.

Model enthusiast and entrepreneur John Hutchinson launched Gloster Models in March 2022, and has now taken on a larger premises at Space Business Centre in Gloucester after running out of room to house his expanding product range.

John praised Space Business Centres, which is owned by property developers AC Lloyd and has sites in Gloucester and Cheltenham, for its flexibility entrepreneurial environment, saying the location had been essential to the growth of the business.

John’s outlet at the Quedgeley-based Space Business Centre is a licensed Warhammer retailer and originally specialised in historical gaming and models.

The product range now includes three different Star Wars ranges, Flames of War – a World War II tabletop miniatures wargame, and traditional models from manufactures such as Airfix, as well as a variety of paints and finishing products.

A Gloster Models website is also in the works, with John hoping to attract customers from across the country, as well as visitors from Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas with a range of discounts and offers in store.

John said: “Like all businesses who are upscaling, we have faced challenges with increased overheads and tighter margins, but introducing discounts and then also having the piece of mind that we are on a 30-day rolling agreement at our premises at Space Business Centre have made it achievable.

“We are extremely excited about the next chapter with a new website under construction to connect us with the wider models and collectables market, while our new larger unit means we can offer a wider range of models – with even more Warhammer products, and Airfix now added to our range.”

Lucy Iles, Site Manager at Space Business Centres Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “It’s extremely pleasing to see the progress John has made over the past few months, and showcases the potential that our flexible units have to support start-up businesses of all kinds.

“The new premises represent the next step for him and his businesses, and we are excited to see where he goes from there.”

Xmas Space

Gloucestershire businesses band together to raise money for charity

by EventsNews

Small business owners from across Gloucestershire have joined forces to host an independent Christmas shopping experience in aid of a local hospice.

A host of street food vendors, bakeries and handmade gift creators will join other Cheltenham and Gloucester businesses to host Christmas at Space – a festive get together to raise money for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice – at Space Business Centre Gloucester next month.

The site in Olympus Park, Quedgeley, is home to more than 50 independent businesses, with tenants set to be joined by residents of its sister site Cheltenham Space Business Centre, as well as guest businesses from across the region on Sunday, December 4 from 10am to 2pm.

In addition to a range of festive goodies on offer to the public, from personalised art and unique homeware to mouth-watering BBQ and baked goods and collectible models, Space Business Centres has teamed up with Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice to a host a charity raffle with a range of prizes available.

Space resident James Brown, of JB event hire, is a long-term supporter of the charity. He said: “It’s brilliant that the Space family and other local traders have come together to raise money for such an important local charity whist showcasing all of the great products and services they have to offer.

“It will be a very special event and one that I hope will continue over the years to come. We are really looking forward to this Christmas event and hope to see you all there.”

Alysia Cameron-Price, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “A visit to the Space event is a great way to kick-start the festive season and tick off some Christmas gifts from your list, all while raising vital funds for families needing our care.

“It’s an honour to see so many local businesses join forces to support us and we hope that the community will get behind them.”

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. Their 30-day licences are designed to support new businesses that have outgrown the kitchen table.

Lucy Iles, site manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “We are incredibly excited to be hosting our inaugural Christmas at Space.

“It’s a great chance for visitors to find out more about the incredible businesses that make up the Space family, as well as pick up some Christmas gifts and try some fantastic food.

“We hope that we will not only have a brilliant turn out in support of local small businesses, but also raise funds for Sue Ryder through our Christmas raffle, and we’d love to hear from guest businesses interested in joining us on the day.”

Gloucester

Gloucestershire business sites have all the ingredients for success JUNE BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

by Business spotlight

A group of independent catering businesses are leading a culinary uprising at two Gloucestershire business parks, with flexible licences and a prime location helping owners rise above the competition.

A pair of new arrivals in recent weeks has seen Space Business Centres in Cheltenham and Gloucester turned into independent catering havens, with eight local business owners now using the units to prepare, serve and deliver a range of culinary delights for local foodies and town-centre shoppers.

The Woozy Pig, a street food and event catering business, and Three Little Pigs, a family-run burger and breakfast takeaway and delivery outlet, both launched at Space Cheltenham and Gloucester respectively in the spring, joining the likes of Japanese-inspired Sushi Day, and artisan bakers and suppliers Boys Bakery, as well as Humble Crumb and Nicky’s Cakes & Bakes across the two sites.  

The Gloucester site, which is located just off Bristol Road, is home to a number of takeaway businesses including Sushi Day, the Cotswold Caterer, Humble Crumb, Nicky’s Cakes and Bakes and Three Little Pigs, creating a culinary community for business owners and visitors.

Fill Your Boots, a zero-waste loose food and household essentials shop, can also be found on site, while Boys Bakery uses the site as a place to conduct business and grow the across the region, supplying other businesses and restaurants while creating delicious artisan food and drink for the public on select days throughout the month.

The Woozy Pig, which serves legendary brunch burgers on Saturdays and Sundays, uses its Cheltenham location as a base for its festival activity, and is joined by Dirty Boys, a takeaway and sandwich shop. A number of the resident businesses will be attending the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival which runs at Montpellier Gardens from Friday, June 24 to Sunday, June 26.

Luca Bagattin, owner of Three Little Pigs, said: “I have really enjoyed the first couple of months at Space Business Centre. The unit we have is just perfect for what we doing and we are extremely glad to have such nice people on site.

“Regarding our business, I am very happy that customers are recommending us and are happy with the quality of the food, which really pushes us to do better and better.”

Lucy Iles, Site Manager at Space Gloucester and Cheltenham, said: “Our resident businesses have helped to create thriving business communities across both sites, which has been conducive to lots of success and growth especially with our food and catering businesses.  

“There is now a huge variety for people to enjoy whether they are popping in after doing some shopping or are looking for their new favourite takeaway treat, which perfectly complements the range of other businesses we have across our Space sites.

“Our tenants are very active on the regional festival circuit, and having a fixed location is a great way to boost their reputations, with happy customers able to seek them out whenever they are in town.”

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