Golden new tenant at Howbery Business Park

The founders of a bespoke contemporary leather stationery company, BeGolden, have chosen Howbery Business Park in Wallingford as the place to expand their business following a period of significant growth.

The company was founded six years ago by two friends, Bobby Adams and Kate Holroyd, and creates handmade products from recycled leather including large wedding photo albums, diaries, corporate guest books and journals.

Kate Holroyd explains: “We initially decided to create a business that would sell everything gold, from jewellery through to paper, hence the name BeGolden. It proved somewhat limiting! We noticed that personalised stationery was a growing market and so changed our business direction to focus on high quality stationery. We sell solely online and now send out enough parcels via Royal Mail to have been given our own postcode!”

BeGolden’s sales have increased 50% year on year since 2014 leading to the need for larger premises. The products are handmade in Swindon and then delivered to Howbery Business Park for personalisation using the company’s printing machines.

Howbery’s on site Innovation Centre has become BeGolden’s creative hub with a 1,000 sq. ft. office to accommodate the eight-strong team and additional seasonal staff.

Kate Holroyd continues: “What we do is quite traditional but in an innovative way, so we love being located at the Innovation Centre. Howbery Business Park is really convenient for all of us and has so much to offer –  the fact that everything is on site in terms of an ATM, excellent gym, super canteen and plentiful parking, is a real benefit to the team.”

“Also being part of a business community where we share communal space with other small to medium sized businesses is a real benefit. The other key pull is the fact that the offices are serviced – everything from cleaning to having your recycling collected is catered for! Such a bonus.”

BeGolden hopes to continue expanding at Howbery Business Park as it looks to develop its bespoke solution for weddings in addition to seasonal gifts.

Donna Bowles of the Howbery Business Park Estates team, said: “BeGolden is a unique and innovative business that we would like to officially welcome to the park. I’m sure the 850 people that work on site will also be visiting their website soon for inspirational and personalised Christmas gift ideas!”