Barnsley startup electrical business secures major contract with Bannatyne’s health clubs

A Barnsley electrical engineering firm has won the contract to maintain and service the electrical equipment for Bannatyne’s health clubs, spas and hotels across the UK after only setting-up business five months ago.

Set up last November by Shaun Pursley and Sean Smith, Nationwide Electrical is already working as the main electrical testing contractor to Bannatyne’s Fitness Ltd, which has 65 health clubs and five hotels ranging from Inverness to Eastbourne.

Shaun originally rang up Bannatyne’s head office by chance to enquire about work and got through to one of the main directors, who invited them to their head office in Darlington.

While there, the company were asked to service one of the health clubs as a trial run and impressed with the duo’s workmanship. They were then asked to service electrical items for all Bannatyne’s health clubs and hotels.

Shaun said: “We both went three months unpaid in order to set-up the business so it’s an absolutely great contract to win. We were so star-struck to get this opportunity after only starting four months ago, but it’s testament to the work we’ve put in to get to this stage and we’re now reaping the rewards at such an early stage.”

Nationwide Electrical has since taken on its first member of staff to help service Bannatyne’s and to keep up with increasing demand for its services, which include electrical maintenance, installation, security systems, portable appliance testing (PAT) and risk assessment.

The company has been helped to set-up by the business support programme SmartStart, which is provided by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), working in partnership with Barnsley Council, for business support.

Shaun and Sean both took apprentices at City and Guilds in electrical testing and installation. As the company grows, they are looking to take on apprentices.

Sean said: “We both had such great experiences with our apprenticeships and we’ve had first-hand experience of how well they work.

“We both agreed that if we made the jump to start our own business, we’d look to take on apprentices and give them the same opportunity that somebody gave us.”

Nationwide Electrical, which has just moved into new offices at BBIC, has also become an approved electrical supplier to Barnsley Council.

Sarah Valentine, BBIC’s SmartStart business development manager, said: “It’s great to see Shaun and Sean at Nationwide Electrical secure such a big contract within their first four months of trading.

“They’ve taken everything we’ve taught them into account and gone onto succeed in the scary start-up world and look to be on a path to success, which was evident from the moment that we met them.”

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