Dragon helped to fire up my business

by Sam Casey


Dragon helped to fire up my business

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE celebrity Duncan Bannatyne was in Huddersfield to throw his backing behind one of the town’s budding businessmen.

The entrepreneur, star of BBC television’s Dragons’ Den, yesterday cut the ribbon to officially open Lazarus Mobility at Silver Street, Aspley.

Lazarus Mobility, which sells equipment for disabled people, is run by Stephen Collins.

Mr Collins, 49, approached Bannatyne after an awards ceremony last year.

Scottish businessman Bannatyne, worth a reported £310m, said: “How could you get a better frontman for a business than Stephen?

“He’s persistent, he’s honest and he knows his product.”

Mr Collins said: “To have one of the richest men in the UK opening my little business – it doesn’t get any better than that.

“I’m not paying him to come – he’s doing it to help me. What more can I say?”

The pair met at the Star awards for disabled entrepreneurs in London, where Mr Collins was nominated for an award.

He gave Bannatyne his business plan.

Mr Collins said: “I thought ‘That’s it, it will go straight in the bin.’ But six weeks later I got a call from his PA telling me that he wanted to see me.

“He said: ‘Are you busy?’ and I said: ‘If I was before, I’m not now’.”

Bannatyne, who owns a chain of health clubs, later agreed to pay Mr Collins’ salary for a year and offer him business advice.

Bannatyne, 59, said: “He said he could manage the rest of it. What he’s doing is fantastic. He’s building up a business.

“All those people who moan all the time about not being able to get on in business should look at Stephen, because he’s an inspiration.”

Mr Collins, who has cerebral palsy, said the support he had received from Bannatyne was a major boost.

He said: “It means I can keep my house. I’m off benefits and can hold my head up high.”

And he added that he had big plans for his business.

“I want a megastore. I always have,” he said.

“I think it’s possible and I think this type of business needs someone like me who has the understanding to make it work.”

For a video of Bannatyne’s visit go to www.examiner.co.uk