Launched in April 2011, Big Adventure Islands adventure centre has built a wide range of activities for the land-lover and the sea-farer over the years, from the classics such as cycling and kayaking to the more unusual - anyone up for some sea trampolining or zorbing?
After three years of building their business in the busy tourist hub of Westport, the team at Big Adventure Islands had an idea for another activity that would really draw the tourists to the area. Catherine Mulcahy, Operations Director for the company, explains, “Entering our third season, we decided to ratchet up activities by adding a free-standing high-ropes course.”
But, of course, such an addition to their range of activities was going to require capital investment, estimated at €100,000. The team met the initial purchase costs of €100,000 for a unique, custom-designed, hexagonal-shaped, free-standing high-ropes course through a 75% grant from LEADER, part of the Rural Development Programme, which provides funding to entrepreneurs or community groups interested in establishing a business or a service in a rural area. They raised the remaining 25% themselves, which included securing a bridging bank loan.
However, what they hadn’t taken into account were the high costs of the civil engineering works associated with getting the course up and running. Faced with further bills for foundations, planning permission and so on – as well as plans for upgrading the clay pigeon shooting course and facilities in general – they approached Microfinance Ireland, which agreed to provide a loan of €24,999 on reviewing their application and business plan.
The high-rope course, which Catherine dubs the Sky Challenge, has been up and running since June 2013. “Starting at three metres in the air, you will work your away around 26 different elements, taking you closer to the sky each time,” she explains. “Not all integrated parts are stationary; many are suspended, so there will be sections of the course where you will sway back and forth in monkey-like fashion. The longest mid-air point-to-point passage is what we call ‘The Leap of Faith’, where the person lunges forward from their plateau in a mid-air attempt to ‘high five’ a large soft-foam target.”
“The Microfinance Ireland loan was instrumental in making this happen,” Catherine says. “It meant that we were able to get the Sky Challenge open by the start of the summer. Having everything ready for our busiest period was vitally important to the economics of the project.”
By attracting school visits, stag and hen parties and corporate team-building groups, the high-rope course has also extended the adventure centre’s season from the summer holidays right through to December and beyond, Catherine says. Moreover, it will be the major focus of promotion campaigns to attract even more visitors to Big Adventure Islands and to Westport in 2014 and beyond.
So even more people can do this:
Check out Big Adventure Islands here.
Find out more about Microfinance Ireland and how they help small businesses in Ireland access credit.
Interested in LEADER grants?
Find your Local Enterprise Office, who can advise you on the Microfinance Ireland loans and a range of other services.
Interested in finding out what funding is available for your business? Take a look at the Supporting SMEs Online Tool, which gives information on over 80 government supports for businesses.