Partner Article

Facebook sparks new business

Two friends who rediscovered each other on a social networking site after spending years apart, have set up a lucrative new business in the North East.

Debra Proudlock and Jo Dyer met while working at a wine bar in Hartlepool in the 1980s, and have toasted their new Facebook friendship by opening a bed, bath and beauty company in the town’s Indoor Market Hall.

Since opening, footfall at the market has increased by 10% and traders have enjoyed one of the busiest winter periods on record.

The pair have ideal backgrounds for setting up in business with Debra having years of experience in retail and quality control, while Jo worked as an office manager for a property company.

Andrea Miles of the Buy Local campaign co-ordinator, said: “A stall at the Indoor Market will be the ideal testing ground for Bed, Bath and Beauty. They have a great range of products which are all good value and it’s exactly the kind of stall the market should have. “Everyone involved with Buy Local wishes Debra and Jo all the best with their enterprise.”

Jo, who has three teenage sons and lives at Hartlepool Marina, said: “We had a lot of support from the Enterprise Centre and are pleased to be part of the Buy Local campaign. “We’ve had lots of advice and information about grants and funding and we’re really excited about working for ourselves.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .