Rachel Bridge revisits three very different start-up ventures to see how they have fared since we first met them


EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO we started following the fortunes of Lesley and Paul Reynolds, two NHS workers who wanted to open an art gallery and café in Shrewsbury. Now at last, after many setbacks, the Reynolds Gallery has opened for business. We take a look at their progress so far.



July 2004

Lesley Reynolds, 43, is a keen amateur painter and had always dreamt of running her own art gallery. So she and her husband, Paul, 42, planned to give up their jobs as NHS health visitors to open a combined art gallery and coffee shop in the centre of Shrewsbury. Neither had run a business before.

They were on the verge of signing a lease on a period building and planned to fund the venture with £130,000 from the sale of a flat, plus £10,000 of savings.

They hoped to open the art gallery in September 2004, with Lesley running the gallery and Paul running the coffee shop. They also hoped to recoup their £140,000 investment within 18 months and eventually open several galleries, possibly by franchising them.


February 2005

The opening of the gallery was put on hold while the landlord carried out essential renovations and made the building accessible for the disabled. The couple thought about trying to find another site, but decided to wait for this one to be ready.

By this time Lesley, who had already given up her job, had spent six months researching the local competition. She had also spent £20,000 of their savings on living expenses and repairs to their own house.

The two now hoped to open their gallery in May 2005, eight months later than planned, and in preparation Lesley had joined a local business-support group.


February 2006

The Reynoldses were so keen on opening their art gallery in the period building that, against the advice of their lawyer, they started spending money refurbishing it even before they had signed a lease. Unfortunately, when they eventually had a survey done they discovered there were too many problems to continue. Reluctantly they abandoned the idea and found other premises for their art gallery.

However, the whole exercise cost them £30,000 in wasted renovations and another £30,000 in salary Lesley could have earned if she had not given up her job so soon. “We should have listened to our lawyer, who said don’t spend anything until you’ve signed the lease,â€