Bangor Mail

Golden offer for budding entreprene­urs

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A £5,000 Dragon’s Den style search to find a budding entreprene­ur from North West Wales with a golden future has been launched by the UK’s biggest container self-storage company.

Lock Stock Self-Storage are offering a valuable package of start-up aid including 12 months’ rent free in a specially adapted storage unit for the business brain with the best new scheme.

The company, whose bases now include Bangor, Holyhead and Caernarfon, have just taken delivery of their 3,000th storage unit and to celebrate that milestone they have also commission­ed a special golden unit to tour its 18 storage sites over the next two months on the back of a lorry with prizes up for grabs on the firm’s social media pages for those who spot it.

Over 1,000 thriving businesses across the region already use Lock Stock storage units for everything from the antiques trade to importing gift shop goods from the Far East and exporting used bikes to Africa.

The competitio­n is open to both new and existing businesses and the winner will move into a unit at the storage park of their choice, free from rent and rates for 12 months and access to a valuable package of business support and advice while they kick-start their operation into life.

The package is worth over £5,000 including a £3,000 cash prize and the only thing standing in their way is a grilling from the Lock Stock Business Dragons, a panel of judges which will include Lock Stock Site Manager Mike Trow and HSBC Business Relationsh­ip Manager Will Jones who has vast experience of advising businesses how to grow.

HSBC Area Director Martin Lyons said: “I think this is a brilliant initiative because whether the winner is an existing business or a start-up, small businesses always need a helping hand.

The accompanyi­ng package for the winner includes PR, banking support, two one-hour one-on-one sessions with Will Jones looking at business strategy and growth, valuable networking opportunit­ies and an overall mentoring process.

Lock Stock’s Mike Trow said: “We are very excited to launch our Business Dragons competitio­n which is aimed at giving a helping someone turn their bright idea into entreprene­urial reality.

“Our storage parks are at the heart of our communitie­s and so many of our units are already helping people grow their businesses – in some of those parks over 60% of our units are taken by businesses.

“It is with this in mind that we wanted to offer a local person, with a great business idea, the chance to make their dream reality without many of the start-up costs which can be so prohibitiv­e when you make that first, scary step.

Have you got a brilliant business idea and a drive to succeed? Enter Lock Stock’s Business Dragons competitio­n by proposing your plan and why you should win, in no more than 500 words.

Please include a contact phone number, both landline and mobile if possible, and a contact email and postal address.

Entries should be emailed to info@ lockstock.biz

 ??  ?? ● Lock Stock Dragons’ Den, guarded by Dragons Will Jones, left, of HSBC, and Lock Stock’s Mike Trow. Picture by RICK MATTHEWS
● Lock Stock Dragons’ Den, guarded by Dragons Will Jones, left, of HSBC, and Lock Stock’s Mike Trow. Picture by RICK MATTHEWS

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