UK Mobile Bars
The Regional Growth Fund is already making a big difference for
Canterbury business UK Mobile Bars, which provides a bar hire
service for weddings, parties and events across the South East.
Owner Paul Bishop successfully applied for a £32,500
interest-free loan from Expansion East Kent, for the business he
founded in 2009.
“Since receiving the loan we’ve seen a very large growth in our
client portfolio, and we have been able to secure office space to
showcase our services. This has enabled us to work with exciting
clients including Southern Comfort and Volvic”, Paul says.
“We’ve been ready to grow the business for a while, and the
loan has given us the financial resource we needed"
UK Mobile Bars is looking to hire 12 more staff over the next 18
months, and before securing the loan had been held back from this
growth cycle by a lack of resource. “We’ve been ready to grow for a
while but have previously been held back through a lack of
financial resources”, Paul says.
On the loan, he comments: “We looked into more traditional
routes of funding but doing it this way makes you feel that you’re
working as part of a regional growth initiative, making a real
difference to the local economy”
“The loan has boosted our cash flow, and allows us to employ
people at the time of year where we have plenty of time to train
them up to our professional standard.”
“Since receiving the loan we’ve already seen a significant
growth in our client portfolio and have expanded our office
space"
“We need to invest in our people, it’s the only way we can
deliver growth”, Paul says. “Demand is definitely there, and we
already have a record number of bookings secured for 2013.”
He is also a strong advocate of the role the Regional Growth
Fund is playing in East Kent: “With this scheme you can feel there
is a movement behind it, a driver, it has momentum and support. You
have a responsibility to support the local economy and local
businesses and we aim to keep doing just that”, he
concludes.