Newark Beacon Opened by Dragons' Den Star Theo!

Innovation from the past and the present ‘met’ at the Newark Beacon business innovation centre launch on Thursday 13 September 2007. Theo Paphitis, well-respected entrepreneur and star of the successful BBC series Dragons' Den, officially opened the centre on the day, but Mike Cafferata was another special guest with links to the history of the site.

In the 1850s the Beacon Hill site was home to Cafferata & Company, a company founded by Mike’s great, great grandfather, hence the Cafferata Way address. Mike was delighted to see how the location had changed over the years and that it is now a centre encouraging others to be innovators, as his ancestors were in their time.

Theo is an inspiration to anyone wishing to start in business. He has proved that pure grit and determination make anything possible. His own career started at the age of 16 as a tea boy/insurance filing clerk. At the age of 18 he had his first experience of the retail world before moving into finance - property and corporate, specialising in turnarounds. He set up his own company at the age of 23.

So the past and present ‘innovators’ met on the day, but Newark Beacon is about encouraging others to take the first steps into the business world or to grow and expand an existing company. Theo gave an inspirational snapshot of his life and shared with the audience how he was first bitten by the entrepreneurial bug at the tender age of 14 when he ran the school tuck shop! After years of working for other people, at 23, Theo decided to set up his own business. His modest office consisted of a single room with a shower in the corner – this didn’t stop his drive to succeed and before long he progressed to the better accommodation, hired a secretary and the rest…as they say…is history!

Theo said, “It is wonderful to be invited to open the Newark beacon, the supportive environment of business innovation and incubator centres such as Newark Beacon are an invaluable asset to start-up and young businesses. The building is in an excellent location close to both the A1 and Train Station and provides a whole host of services to help those who are based there. I have had a great day and wish the centre and businesses based here all the very best for the future.”

The launch event concluded with a light-hearted take-off of the Dragons’ Den, entitled Hornets’ Nest. This was a competition run in partnership by the Newark Advertiser and Newark & Sherwood District Council. The three people with the ‘best’ business propositions got the opportunity to present their ideas to Theo at the launch and benefit from his words of wisdom. They were named as Alison Brothwell from Staythorpe, who presented the Rotacover – an eco-friendly waterproof cover for a rotary clothes dryer. Sarah Jane Jones from Balderton demonstrated her idea for an adjustable cup size bra, and Phillip Simkins from Aslockton presented Select-a-Pos. This is a scanning system for retailers that will offer a ‘mix and match’ approach to the traditional EPOS system (electronic point of sale).

Mike Robinson, Economic Regeneration Manager at Newark & Sherwood District Council said, “We are delighted to welcome people here today to see for themselves what is available at the Newark Beacon. This launch event has given us the opportunity to showcase this inspirational new business innovation centre and, the fact that Theo Paphitis has joined us to do the official opening, is the icing on the cake.” He added “We hope that this event will encourage those people wishing to start or grow their business to look to the Newark Beacon as a base for their business.”

For further information on units available at the Newark Beacon please call Sarah Jones, centre manager, on 0845 650 0028 or email sjones@newarkbeacon.co.uk.