Hartlepool man Pat Gettings, has been involved in retailing in one way or another for most of his career
Towards the latter part of 2012 he started to look around for suitable retail premises in Hartlepool with a view to launching ATLANTIQUE, his collectables business.
Trying to turn his project into reality meant that he had to find an organisation that would help him sharpen up his business idea, develop a business plan and hopefully secure some funding for a market stall and some initial stock.
He heard about the Job Centre’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme and the Five Lamps European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project and made an appointment with Five Lamps to find out more.
Over the next few weeks Pat worked with Chris Butler, Five Lamps Senior Business Development Officer on his Business Plan with a key element of that being the need to find an appropriate location that was both affordable and had good footfall potential.
He approached Hartlepool Enterprise Centre at Brougham Terrace who helped him secure a six month rental on a stall in the indoor market hall in Middleton Grange shopping centre and also helped him with some funding for initial stock and other start-up costs.
In late December 2012, with the stock in place and the stall kitted out he was ready to start trading.
Despite the recession, the last four months have gone well with customers very interested in Pat’s wide range of quality collectables. When Chris called in to see him on his stall in late April, the market was busy with passing customers stopping to look and purchase.
Pat sees 2013 as a year of real opportunities for him, and he’s looking to move on to a bigger retail unit, he said
“Five Lamps support was very beneficial in assisting me to complete my business plan and with that secure funding and the stall”
The New Enterprise Allowance contract is delivered by Five Lamps and is part funded by the European Union, ERDF fund.