Shopping Centre Magazine: One Budding Entrepreneur recieves a Kick Start to Launch their Business At Pentagon Shopping Centre
Posted by Shopping Centre Magazine on 27th Jan 2016
Space to trade teamed
up with Medway’s Pentagon Shopping Centre, owners Ellandi, Medway Council and
Chatham Centre Forum; to give one very lucky business person the chance to ‘Win
Six Months Rent Free’ trading at the Pentagon Shopping Centre. The competition
offered one local entrepreneur the
chance to get their hands on a lucrative start-up package worth over £10,000.
Some great entries were
received, showing just how many budding entrepreneurs there are in the area. These
were then whittled down to three possible candidates.
Phil Dowsing of Phil’s Retro
Stuff said, ‘I found out about the competition via my wife Julie
who saw it advertised on Facebook. It sounded like an ideal opportunity for me
to really get serious with my part time retail business, as I had been strongly
considering taking up a retail unit in the centre. I put an enormous amount of time and effort
working for someone else in a large retail environment in central London and I
had always dreamed of having my own full time business and being able to
control my own destiny. I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity.’
Paul Clifford, Managing Director of Space to trade
said, ‘We are absolutely delighted for Phil; his passion
for retail and keen head for business was evident throughout every stage of the
application process. Space to trade will be mentoring Phil through the process
and we are sure his business will be a success.’
As an added bonus, Medway Council's 'Partners for
Growth' start-up grant initiative has committed to awarding a grant of £500 to
Phil's Retro Stuff.
The grant scheme is low level intervention funding, which in many cases
has helped people who have lost their regular employment and see a route back
into work through self-employment. Prospective applicants have to provide the
council with a credible business plan including cash flow projections to qualify
for a grant. The council grants scheme was set up in 2009 and has issued 120
grants to qualifying business since then.
Martyn Stone, Centre Manager at The Pentagon Shopping Centre said,
‘We are delighted to welcome Phil’s
Retro Stuff to the centre. The stall will really complement the retail mix at The
Pentagon, offering retro
styled home décor products & gifts; such as wooden boxes, crates, tin-plate
collectables and metal signs.