Bradford News, Bradford Sport, Leisure,Cars, Jobs and local information from The Telegraph & Argus

Treasure trove to showcase talents

From the archive, first published Thursday 5th Apr 2007.

Some of the most creative budding businessmen and women in the Bradford district have begun showcasing their business ideas to the public.

Seven winners of the Enterprise Island contest are displaying their business ideas in Saltaire.

Among them are businesswoman Caroline Brown who has turned a vacant shop in the village into a temporary treasure trove of vintage frocks, furniture and jewellery, contemporary art and hand-crafted accessories.

The House of Rose & Brown boutique and gallery opened today in Victoria Road, and has two weeks to showcase the creative talents of seven of this year's batch of Enterprise Island Creative Challenge finalists.

Mrs Brown and 14 other aspiring creative entrepreneurs were selected from nearly 100 competitors who pitched their ideas to a Dragon's Den-style panel of business experts earlier this year.

The aim of the competition was to find people with the potential to run their own successful creative businesses and it is the third time it has run in Bradford.

The success of the first competition provied instrumental in Bradford securing the £21.4 million Local Enterprise Growth Initiative grant in 2006, money which has helped launch the far-reaching Be Enterprising scheme to create a new generation of businesses in the city.

They included Rubina Khan, who formed the Yarn Spinners Tours company to conduct walking tours of Bradford, and Haroon Rashid, now the managing director of film company Finished Productions.

Enterprise Island founder Iain Scott said: "We hope Enterprise Island will provide these residents with a passport to a new way of life and with our help, enable them to realise their dreams and become successful in the world of business.

"Bradford is bubbling with creative people who can make a good living and make quite a lot of money for the city."

The other finalists involved include a surrealist photographer, a former headteacher driven by a new passion for community art and a subversive bun-knitter, who all won a place on an intensive residential course.

Mrs Brown said: "I'm mad about all things vintage such as clothing, furniture and china, and have knowledge and experience of contemporary art and interior design. I want to use this to help people create homes which are invidivual and inventive, with a slightly eccentric vintage twist.''

All of the Enterprise Island finalists are intent on providing alternatives to mass-market products and bland modern design."

e-mail: mark.casci

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk