Sgiliau Play Centre opens third site after BCRS Business Loans backing
Sgiliau Play Centre has opened its third site in west Wales and is now targeting turnover in excess of £1 million.
The new site, on Llanelli’s Dafen Industrial Estate, signifies the largest of the play centres in the region which opened its doors last month after receiving a £100,000 finance package from BCRS Business Loans, via the British Business Bank’s £130m Investment Fund for Wales.
Sgiliau was established by Steffan Hughes in 2019, with its first site in Carmarthen, and has been on a growth trajectory since. After successfully opening a further centre in Llandeilo in 2022, Steffan has been keen to further expand the Sgiliau brand. When an opportunity to rent a 18,000 sq ft unit came up Steffan wasted no time in exploring his options.
Steffan explains:
“Having worked in education for many years I was keen to establish the Sgiliau business and come up with a business concept that met the gaps in the market. With this in mind our centres go further than just utilising soft play equipment, and while they house activities including slides, inflatables and a floating football pitch, they all are sensory led, so that we cater for all children.
“With both the Carmarthen and Llandeilo businesses doing well, I knew there was demand in the Llanelli area, but we needed to secure additional finance to ensure we weren’t compromising our business model, and this is when I contacted BCRS.”
Working with Business Development Manager, Niki Haggerty-James, Sgiliau Play Centres secured £100,000 finance package from BCRS Business Loans, the Smaller Business Loans fund manager of the Investment Fund for Wales.
Steffan continues:
“This finance was needed to ensure that we could kit out the unit to a high standard and ensure longevity of equipment. BCRS were fantastic and Niki quickly understood our business.
“We’ve only been open for a matter of weeks, but the customer feedback has been positively overwhelming. Our centres are built with young people, and their families, at heart and this money has allowed us to unlock the wow factor.”
In expanding the Sgiliau Play Centre business to Llanelli Steffan has employed seven full time and 12 part time staff and is eyeing further growth.
He added:
“There’s never a perfect time to take the plunge in business but sometimes the stars align, and you need to take that risk. Without BCRS’s support I wouldn’t have been able to open this site, which I believe will expand the business and put Sgiliau firmly in the minds of parents and children alike.
“It’s early days but next year we’re targeting turnover in excess of £1 million and I hope that many more children and their families will enjoy our centres and become repeat visitors.
Niki Haggerty-Jones, Business Development Manager at BCRS Business Loans, said:
“Looking at all three centres Steffan has built something very special, and we are delighted to play a small part in helping him realise business growth.
“BCRS are a story-based lender, and our mission is to make a positive social and economic impact. We are delighted that Sgiliau share this community based approach and have created additional jobs, and we wish them all the luck in the future.”
Bethan Bannister, Senior Investment Manager, Nations and Regions Funds at the British Business Bank, said:
“The Investment Fund for Wales exists to support ambitious and innovative companies like Sgiliau who have spotted a marketplace opportunity and require finance to drive forward with their plans.
“Steffan’s ambition and entrepreneurial spirit, that has a clear social and economic impact in the communities where Sgiliau play centres are based, is something to be admired and supported. We wish him every success as he continues to scale and grow.”
The British Business Bank backed Investment Fund for Wales operates across the whole of Wales and includes a range of finance options with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses start up, scale up or stay ahead. BCRS Business Loans is managing the smaller loans part of the fund (£25,000 to £100,000). FW Capital will be responsible for larger loans (£100,000 to £2 million) and Foresight will manage equity deals (up to £5 million).
The Investment Fund for Wales helps to increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance by providing options to smaller businesses that might otherwise not receive investment. Funding is designed to help businesses with activities including expansion, product or service innovation, new processes, skills development, and capital equipment.
Having worked with SMEs unable to access finance from traditional sources in the West Midlands since 2002, BCRS Business Loans has expanded into Wales to help smaller businesses there prosper and thrive under the fund, which was officially launched in Cardiff in November 2023.
Since BCRS was founded as a community development financial institution in 2002, it has provided loans worth more than £90 million to businesses across the West Midlands and Wales. A social impact report for the last financial year showed BCRS lent £5.8m to 72 businesses, safeguarding 675 jobs and creating 186 roles, adding £29.9m in value to the economy of the West Midlands, surrounding regions and Wales.
