Prestigious London Awards Ceremony beckons for New Local Business

Date: 19/11/2013

Giggles Play and Adventure at Lancaster Leisure Park is in line to scoop one of the top prizes in the first ever Ready For Business Awards 2013.

Only open since March this year, the new soft play area beat strong competition from 45 other North West businesses to gain the title of “Best Growth Potential Start Up Business” and now they are heading to the House of Commons for the National Finals.

The awards have been introduced to highlight the remarkable progress that small businesses across the country have made with support from Ready for Business.

Kathleen Simpson, Owner and Manger of Giggles, explained “When we set up Giggles, The Bay Business Centre in Morecambe ran a series of courses and seminars on a range of Business skills from book keeping and marketing to HR and VAT and we took part.  They pointed is in the right direction from the very beginning and it was them that nominated us for this award”.

The overall winners from each category will be announced on Monday 2nd December at a lavish afternoon ceremony in the House of Commons. 

Kathleen said “We are really proud to be representing the North West when we go down to London. Giggles is a family business run by myself, my husband Paul and my Mum and Dad, Barbara and Colin Rawcliffe, so it’s a team effort”.

She added “I have to thank Allan Blackburn, the owner of Lancaster Leisure Park for all his support and help.  If it wasn’t for him, this business would never have got off the ground.  He offered us this site and when we opened just 7 months ago we could never have dreamed we’d become so successful so quickly”.

Since opening its doors earlier this year, Giggles Play and Adventure (which caters for children up to 12 years of age and their parents and carers), has expanded its team and taken on six new members of staff. There are other jobs expected to be created soon, as Kathleen and Barbara are hoping to develop the play area further still.

View all news stories