Duchess leads march of female entrepreneurs

Jan 7 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

WOMEN in the North-East are leading the way in setting up their own businesses, a new report claims.

Research firm Gavurin says Alnwick and the surrounding district has proportionally more female-led businesses than anywhere else in the UK, with 31.2% of businesses run by women compared to the national average of a quarter.

Three of the top five areas in the country for women-led businesses are in the North-East, the report says, with Berwick-upon-Tweed and Easington joining Carrickfergus, in Northern Ireland, and Argyll and Bute, in Scotland, at the top of the league.

And according to one group of successful businesswomen, people like the Duchess of Northumberland can be thanked for the region’s prominent position.

The Duchess has led the way with the creation of the Alnwick Garden and its treehouse – one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions.

Former model Claire Barber, who runs a PR and business strategy company and has owned two restaurants in Alnwick, says the Duchess has been an inspiration.

Claire established, Michaels on Bondgate Within, not long after moving to the town from Cheshire nearly 10 years ago, then Bibbys last year. She credits the Duchess and her Garden with transforming the fortunes of her restaurants.

She said: “We saw an unbelievable change within three years. I personally feel very supportive of the Duchess, I feel she has made a phenomenal difference to the region.

“A lot of the shops saw her as taking business away but the redevelopment here is incredible.

“She is a true inspiration, she supports local business in a big way.

“She makes time for local businesses, women especially.”

Allison Carr, also 40, is the owner of the Queen’s Head pub and hotel in Alnwick. She moved to Alnwick 10 years ago from Manchester, having previously worked as a recruitment consultant. She said: “The Duchess has really worked single-handedly to put the garden together, it has got to be an inspiration to anybody.”

Gavurin believes the high proportion of female-run businesses in Alnwick is down to the fact that most women run “stereotypical” and “small, people-orientated enterprises” of the kind which populate the town, and its lack of “bank headquarters”.

A spokeswoman for the Duchess of Northumberland said: “Her Grace thinks that to succeed as an entrepreneur you have to have total conviction that your project will be successful, believe in it 100% and be prepared to work at it until you have delivered.”