Member Article

Recreational learning firm Koolkarts racing ahead

Children’s entertainment company Koolkarts has secured a 8,500 sq ft. site in Swinton to help the business with its expansion plans, opening a new centre called ‘Playkidds’, following support from Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub.

Koolkarts, a go-kart operation and soft play activities centre, helps children from Key Stage 1 and 2 learn about road safety from a driver’s perspective. With the use of props such as traffic lights and zebra crossings, the team recreate a road scenario using go-karts, helping the children learn how to safely cross roads.

The business, which currently employs 13 staff, has been running for four years and was originally a mobile operation, working with the likes of Sale Sharks, Salford Reds, Greater Manchester Police, and local schools.

Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub helped to provide Matthew O’Neill, the owner of Koolkarts, with an appropriate new site for his business.

Following the move into the ‘Playkidds’ centre, the company is expanding into promoting healthy eating and safe play, spreading its mantra of ‘education through recreation’ and is aiming to secure more sites across the region. The firm is now aiming to expand its services to provide more soft play activities for children of all ages.

Matthew O’Neill, owner of Koolkarts, said: “It has been fantastic working with Business Growth Hub, which has now supported my business plan for over a year.

“Whatever questions I had, the Hub had the answers, and the support I received has allowed me to make the first key step in achieving our growth plans for the future.

“Securing a new site for Koolkarts, and working alongside Mick Hadfield has allowed the business to develop into a children’s recreational learning centre. I am greatly looking forward to the future and fulfilling our aim of opening another new site in the next 12 to 18 months.”

Mick Hadfield, growth advisor at Business Growth Hub, added: “Road safety is an integral part of any child’s education, and Matthew’s unique approach to developing these skills made the decision to work with the business an easy one.

“Business Growth Hub is committed to working with ambitious, high-growth businesses, so are ideally positioned to offer firms like Matthew’s the support they need to grow, develop, and realise their potential. We are excited to continue supporting Koolkarts as it aims to become the region’s biggest hub for recreational learning.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .