Wargamers emerge victorious from business battle

When 86 businesses from 18 towns in Wiltshire went to war, the firm with a standing army behind it emerged victorious.

Westbury-based Triple Helix Wargames seized the crown at the Wiltshire New Business of the Year competition on Saturday night.

Husband and wife team Steve and Charlotte Judson started buying, renovating and selling wargaming models on eBay three years ago, and soon expanded to their garage.

Last May they opened a dedicated wargaming centre at West Wilts Trading Estate, one of only six in the UK.

The centre attracts players from as young as seven and as old as over 60. Customers can buy and paint models which are then used in strategy-based wargaming.

Like chess, explained Charlotte, different models have their own strengths and weaknesses, and game playing scenarios range from the realm of fantasy to Napoleonic and English Civil War battles where hundreds of soldiers go head-to-head.

Typically, a game lasts a couple of hours, although quick games can be over in 20 minutes, while some gamers will spend an entire weekend conducting an epic battle on one of the fifteen tables at the centre.

The firm intends to spend its £2,000 prize money on upgrading its cafe facilities and to buy, paint and donate models to local schools to support the formation of wargaming clubs.

Charlotte, who has a military background, said she and Steve, a former lawyer with a masters in occupational psychology, were “surprised and excited” at winning the competition. “We always knew we had a good business model,” said Charlotte, “but to have a panel of esteemed judges confirm that is fabulous.”

The second prize of £600 went to Wootton Bassett-based Vetbuild Solutions Ltd, the UK´s only company specialising in development projects for veterinary surgeries.

Third prize went to Girls Love Fit, of Salisbury, a community-based company which creates fitness classes to meet the needs of its users.

The competition was run by Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce and sponsored by Wiltshire Council.

The 18 finalists from each Chamber of Commerce received prizes of £1,000 before going head-to-head for the title of Wiltshire New Business of the Year by making a presentation to a panel of experts.

Among the more unusual presentation was Susan Witt of Corsham toy shop The Toy Box, who conducted her five minute pitch with glove puppets in the style of a Punch and Judy show.

Organiser Stefan Barbaruk said: “Even in this financial climate, a diverse range of high quality businesses are being established in Wiltshire, which is very encouraging.”

The individual Chamber finalists were: Cellars Restaurant, Amesbury; Growing Needs, Bradford on Avon; Jester´s Adventure Play Ltd, Calne; The Bridge Brasserie, Chippenham; The Toy Box, Corsham; Bead Sparkle, Devizes; Amano, Malmesbury; Twist Interior Design, Marlborough; Texworks, Melksham; Beach Life Wine, Mere & Tisbury; Girls Love Fit, Salisbury; Gurka Variety Store Ltd, Tidworth; Just Paws, Trowbridge; Charismatic Pets, Warminster; Triple Helix Wargames, Westbury; First Friends Ltd Wilton & Bradford Day Nursery, Wilton; Vetbuild Solutions Ltd, Wootton Bassett.

Main picture: Mike Williams, chief executive of Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce, with Alex Taylor and Charlotte Robinson of Girls Love Fit, Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council, Charlotte and Steve Judson from Triple Helix Wargames and Derek King from Vetbuild Solutions LTD

Below: Wargaming in action at Triple Helix in Westbury.