A talented entrepreneur who turned £90 into the £14m online fashion firm Pink Boutique has recently launched Rowen Group and appointed leading accountancy and advisory firm MHA Tait Walker as business and tax advisors to help identify and build on future growth.
Alice Hall left Pink Boutique last October, eight years after she and her mother each invested £45 on dresses to kickstart the web venture. Since then she has been working on new plans with husband Andrew, resulting in the launch of Rowen Group which will act as the ‘engine room’ for a series of businesses, providing all the infrastructure, HR, marketing, warehousing and fulfilment they need.
Initially the group comprises three exciting new businesses. Allergy Box will provide allergy friendly snack options delivered to your door. Low Kal will sell health snacks online. The third business, Rowen Homes, will enroll Alice’s creative side, which has been honed since last year when she started a part time diploma in interior design. And it’s already proving successful with footballers lined up to benefit from her services.
All of the businesses will be based at Rowen Group’s new offices at Baker’s Yard in Gosforth, the former Greggs Bakery site. Alice Hall said: “I’m so excited to be creating new jobs in the region and hope to support other businesses too. I’m also looking forward to recruiting talent who are excited to join us on this journey.
“We started with a group of eight working remotely and in a few short months we now have a 13 strong team working out of our new office, with more staff lined up to start in the coming weeks. Future job creation depends on how fast we grow but we will keep on recruiting.”
Hollie Thompson, Tax Manager at MHA Tait Walker said : “MHA Tait Walker are delighted to be able to get involved at the early stages of the business and help to identify and build on potential opportunities – the Rowen Group is designed to become an incubator of sorts and MHA Tait Walker’s business and tax expertise is well placed to help Alice and Andrew structure the group as efficiently as possible.
“We will also be helping them access funding opportunities and valuable tax reliefs. For example, we will be looking at maximising reliefs on their new office at Baker’s Yard in Gosforth, exploring the potential for R&D claims, and helping them incentivise their new workforce.
