New craft centre opens doors in Caldicot thanks to support from Business Wales.
Ladybird Craft Centre has recently launched in Caldicot, South Wales, and offers a variety of craft workshops and activities for the local community, as well as a coffee shop serving hot and cold drinks and light refreshments. Owners Deborah Scudamore and Jo Colla approached the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service for help to set up their new partnership and have since:
- received advisory support to start-up
- secured a £15,000 start-up loan
- created 2 new jobs
- relocated to new, larger premises
Introduction to business
Launched by Deborah Scudamore and Jo Colla, Ladybird Craft Centre is a craft shop and a café, offering a range of craft activities and workshops, including painting pottery and decopatch. The Centre also offers craft supplies for sale, as well as a selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes and light refreshments.
Why did you decide to start your own business?
Jo is a ceramicist and I am a glassware specialist. We decided to collaborate in recent years and offer craft workshops, bespoke items for retail whilst also running a coffee shop. We have just made a leap to open our own Craft Centre based in Caldicot which is a dream come true for us. We love having our own business and giving something to the community that will bring them together.
What challenges did you face?
Putting a business plan together is not easy for such a large project and deciding to move and start anew have been big challenges for us. We have really committed to this project, getting dirty and dusty during the refurbishment, painting the walls, trying to maintain the old business whilst we transition, and constantly researching products and services to keep up to date and on track. There has been so much involved, and we are so happy to say we have come out the other side! Yes – there is still work to be done, but when you have your own business, there is always something to be done.
Business Wales support
We decided to go for a bigger unit for our Craft Centre. (Our Business Wales adviser) Nia Lloyd-Jones helped us with our business plan and referred us to Craig Tamplin in Business in Focus to assist us with our Start Up Loan application. We were successful in securing £15,000 to begin refurbishing the new unit. This was a big step for us, and we are so glad we made it!
The community have responded extremely well, and we are constantly busy with crafts and the coffee shop. We now have 5 volunteers who help us with the operational side of the business, and we are so fortunate to have them as part of our team. One of the volunteers is in supported living and they all benefit greatly from the positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
Outcomes
We met Nia last year when we were going through some struggles with our current unit and had questions about the viability of the business. Nia provided some direction and a more focussed approach, which gave us the ambition to push on. She has been really helpful to us and we are grateful for her support.
Business Wales have been there when we have needed them. It’s a great service and I would recommend anyone who wants to start a business to get in touch with them.
- successful start-up partnership
- new premises secured
- £15,000 start-up loan secured
- 2 jobs created
What would you advise others who want to start their own business?
If you love what you do and you think there is a demand or benefit for the community, then do it! It’s hard but it’s the most rewarding job you will ever do. Let Business Wales help you, it’s fully funded so you don’t have to pay for any of the services you tap into. We’ve had business support, attended online marketing workshops through Superfast Business Wales and have engaged with a volunteer business mentor to help us take the business forward.
If you want to read more success stories of how Business Wales has helped other people like you to start or grow their businesses, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/case-studies or follow @_businesswales / @_busnescymru on Twitter.