A buzzing online beekeeping business on target for £2m turnover has moved into new warehouse headquarters in Warwickshire thanks to help from Bromwich Hardy.
Simon The Beekeeper has taken on the lease of a 10,000 sq ft unit on the Centrovell Trading Estate in Nuneaton from The Wigley Group in a deal brokered by Bromwich Hardy’s Sam Cooper.
The Wigley Group, which owns the trading estate on Caldwell Road, has refurbished the unit to meet the requirements of the business which included providing a more open space for stock storage.
Simon Morgan founded the business five years after he took up beekeeping as a hobby as part of his recuperation from a heart transplant due to a hereditary condition.
Simon, who had been a head of department at Leicester College, set out to play his part in a nationwide drive to save bees by reintroducing honeybees back into his village near Hinckley.
The business now supplies over 400 products, from clothing and hives to honey-making and other equipment, to beekeepers predominantly in the UK, and in Europe and the rest of the world.
Simon, who now lives in Shropshire, said: “When I had my heart transplant, I decided I would never do anything that I didn’t want to do. The reason I started this was to encourage beekeepers to help the bees and supporting them remains at the core of what we do.
“I started the business in a spare bedroom ten years ago and it quickly took off and has escalated over the years which has now resulted in our fifth move.
“Our operations had become fragmented across a number of units in Leicestershire and so this year we decided to centralise again and move somewhere that could accommodate us for a few years to come.
“The Wigley Group’s unit at Centrovell is just what we wanted and the estates team has been really good in making specific alterations to make sure it was ready for when we moved in. We plan to grow into the space and introduce a trade counter.
“I cannot thank Bromwich Hardy enough for dealing with my enquiry and sourcing a new home for my business. The support I had from them – and in particular from Sam Cooper – was first class and has helped me find the perfect base for my growing beekeeping business. We can now plan for the future with real confidence knowing that we have the ideal premises from which to continue our growth.”
Sam Cooper said: “I am delighted that Simon has been able to find just the right accommodation to help the business grow still further and look forward to his continued success for years to come.”
Louis Smith, head of estates at The Wigley Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon The Beekeeper to Centrovell Trading Estate and look forward to supporting the business with its expansion in the coming years.
“It’s always interesting to have a diverse range of tenants and a beekeeping business is certainly a first for us. What started as a hobby has fast become a really successful environmental enterprise in helping to protect bees.”
A further unit – Unit 2 - is also available at the Centrovell Trading Estate.
The near 6,000sq ft modern production or storage site – which boasts excellent transport links - has been refurbished to a high standard to include LED lighting and has a large, shared loading yard, two-storey office, electric shutters and ample parking.
It is available at £6/sq ft with inquiries to Sam Cooper on 02476 308900, 07973 632 353, or email sam.cooper@bromwichhardy.com