Press Releases

December 14 2009

Ancoats theatre supplier wins £10k business award

Wigs up North, a supplier of wigs and make-up for theatre and TV, based in Royal Mills in Ancoats, scooped a £10,000 EnterPrize business award at a ceremony at Gorton Monastery in east Manchester.

They were presented with the award by North West entrepreneur of the year and local man, Scott Fletcher who founded ANS Group, a leading IT and Telecoms solutions provider, in 1996 when he was just 22.

Scott Fletcher, Chairman and Founder of ANS Group, who gave an inspirational speech on the night said: ""All the finalist are really fantastic. It reminds me of the stage I was at 15 years ago and I can really see them all being in my position in the future. Every one of them shows real ambition, drive and a passion for what they do."

Run by urban regeneration company New East Manchester in partnership with the Northwest Regional Development Agency and New Deal for Communities, the EnterPrize Awards, now in their fourth year, rewards new business talent in east Manchester.

Wigs Up North was established in 2004 by Jackie Sweeney, Liz Armstrong and Vicky Holmes who all have a background in theatre and television. Jackie and Liz, met while studying Theatrical Make-up at The London College of Fashion. Liz went on to be a wig mistress on touring productions for some major West End shows including Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, and Jackie became a make-up artist at Granada. Vicky, also with a background in theatre, joined the company as the third partner in 2005.

Commenting on the EnterPrize award win, Jackie Sweeney, Director of Wigs Up North said: "We've always wanted to win this award because it's locally focused which makes it even more special. New East Manchester have really supported our business right from the start and this just reinforces this. This money will make a massive difference. We feel like we've been wading through treacle and now we can purchase an e-commerce site and an EPOS system allowing for seamless sales and stock taking. The money will also help us employ our first member of staff giving a college leaver the chance to get their first step ion the career ladder."

Eddie Smith, New East Manchester's Chief Executive, said: "Competition was really strong this year, but Wigs Up North really stood out. With the Sharp Project a few minutes away, MediaCity to be located the other side of town and positive progress on plans for The Royal Opera House to have a base in Manchester there is tremendous potential for growth. All the new businesses involved in the competition benefited from advice and support. Everyone demonstrated a real passion for enterprise, which is fantastic, so it was incredibly difficult to pick an overall winner."

Councillor Jim Battle, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council said: "All six finalists showed true entrepreneurial talent and demonstrated that despite current market conditions, if you have a good business model and the determination to succeed, your business can flourish. Scott Fletcher is a great role model and an inspiration to all. It was a real privilege to hear him speak on the night."

In total, nearly 50 entries were received this year and 6 finalists underwent an intensive programme of support and consultancy. Each won £3,000.

The other five finalists included:

The Little Greene Paint Company - Manufacturer of premium paints and wallpapers who supply interior designers and architects. They employ 61 staff
And their products can be found in most independent paint retailers and through-out Europe

Scott Hughes Design - a civil and structural engineering design consultancy employing 16 people in the Flintglass Works in Ancoats.

Transfixed - A wig and beauty salon for the trans-gender community with an online store that was set up 9 months ago in Beehive Mill on Ancoats.

Pageplay- Offers easily up-datable website design paid for on monthly fee which is aimed at start-ups and smaller businesses. Based in the Express Networks Building in Ancoats, the small company of four staff, started in 2008.

Acid Computer Services - Bespoke software and database company based in Ancoats with clients ranging from organisations such as the NHS to small businesses.

For more information on New East Manchester visit www.neweastmanchester.com. More information on Wigs up North can be found by clicking on www.wigsupnorth.co.uk.

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Media Enquiries: Roz Hughes 0161 223 1155 x 2167 / 07967 800395