Enter the Dragon

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.

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 details of the road to his success.

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 call Sarah Jones, Centre Manager, on 0845 650 0028 or email sjones@newarkbeacon.co.uk