Sara Davies exits Dragons' Den to lead craft firm

Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies has announced her departure from the show.

The North East entrepreneur says she is leaving the BBC programme “for now” to focus on business interests.

The move comes after she stepped in to rescue the hobbyist business that launched her career.

Ms Davies earlier this year agreed a deal to return to the helm at Crafter’s Companion, the firm she founded while studying at the University of York.

And having regained control, she says she is leaving the show to focus on her “big priority”.

In a social media post, she said: “I’ve taken up my position again as chief executive of Crafter’s Companion, and my business is my big priority this year.

“And when I commit to a business, I really commit.

“Being a Dragon requires so much dedication and time behind the scenes, as you join the life of each business you invest in.

“It means seeing through your investments and committing to your part in that organisation.

“It's so much more than a TV show.

“That's why I've taken the decision to step away from the Den for now, to focus on my own business, which was my first baby.

“So, I won't be filming with the team this year for the next series.”

Having begun with an envelope maker, Crafter's Companion quickly expanded from offices above Sara’s family’s decorating store in Coundon, County Durham, to headquarters in nearby Newton Aycliffe, with demand across the UK matched by clamour in Europe and the US.

However, the business struggled in recent years, despite an injection of cash from investor Growth Partner that restructured its management team and left Ms Davies a minority shareholder.

And with directors set to appoint administrators, Ms Davies stepped in to salvage its future, returning as chief executive and promising to increase her investment in the business.

During its boom period in the late 2010s, Crafter’s Companion opened new headquarters in a former Holiways Ford car showroom on Aycliffe Business Park, which complemented offices with a café and space for crafting workshops and classes.

It also expanded into a Chesterfield-based Dobbies Garden Centre outlet, moved into Evesham’s Valley Shopping Village, on the outskirts of Worcester, and opened a concession in a Boundary Mills store near Burnley.

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