Bright Spark Emma hops to it (From Gazette & Herald)

Bright Spark Emma hops to it

Businesswoman and 'Bright Spark' Emma Hopper is preparing to open Scarborough's biggest indoor children's sport and play facility in a disused building on the outskirts of the town with her husband, Stephen.

The 9,000 sq ft building at Eastfield has been standing empty for three years.

Now, with sheer drive and ambition, and help from Business Link York and North Yorkshire's 'Bright Sparks' programme provided through North York Moors and Coast business advice agency (NYMAC), Emma, 29, has transformed it into Little Hoppers Adventure World, which is due to open next month. NYMAC is a partner organisation of Business Link York and North Yorkshire, delivering Business Link services across Scarborough and the northern Ryedale area.

Angela Langton, NYMAC adviser, has been working with Emma over the last month and has been impressed by her drive and ambition.

"Emma's tenacity is seeing a disused building put to very good use for the benefit of the area. Through her hard work and dedication she will create jobs, as well as providing an important facility for the people of Scarborough and beyond."

Planning permission was granted in April and work is due to be completed on the project next month, with an official open day planned for early July.

According to Emma, the adventure world will provide a safe, secure, exciting and educational play environment for babies and children of all abilities, in what will be the biggest facility of its kind for under-12s on the east coast. It will also provide an invaluable resource for parents and carers.

She said: "It hasn't always been easy, but my initial research identified a need for a facility of this kind in Scarborough and since then I have been determined to see it through.

"The support I've received from NYMAC has been amazing, it really is an invaluable resource for businesses in the area. Angela has been a constant source of advice, someone I can talk to about the best way of doing things and ways to save money."

Bright Sparks is one of a number of business support services available to businesses in rural areas of North Yorkshire as part of the Objective 2 Business Support Programme. The programme is funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund, and is managed by Business Link York and North Yorkshire.

Updated: 13:20 Wednesday, June 22, 2005