Great Fridays to expand with help from NatWest
A Manchester-based digital agency, which helps many of the UK’s and Europe’s largest companies to shape their online and digital strategies, has secured a £125,000 Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loan from NatWest to support its ambitious growth plans.
Great Fridays, which was established in 2008, has already built a portfolio of blue chip clients including Adobe, ITV, Bowers & Wilkins, Stella McCartney, Next, Debenhams, J Sainsbury and Vodafone. It is now targeting a turnover of £3m by the end of this year on the back of further contract wins.
Great Fridays specialises in the design and implementation of strategies which help clients maximise all aspects of their digital business. Their experience spans numerous platforms including the web, mobile, kiosks, games consoles and the new iPad and iPhone.
The agency is owned by directors Matt Farrar and Rob Noble, who have more than 30 years’ experience between themin the digital media sector. Rock star Peter Gabriel owns a minority stake in Great Fridays via his Real World Holdings’ company. It employs 34 people at its Parsonage Gardens base in Manchester city centre, and earlier this year opened an office in London.
Matt Farrar, Director of Great Fridays, said: “We have built a strong client base and undertaken an extensive array of projects for an agency of our size. We plan to use this experience to proactively grow the business during the next 12 months in both the UK and overseas. Securing EFG funding is an important development as it will help us to pursue some of our growth plans.”
Mike Malone, Relationship Manager at NatWest commercial banking in Manchester, said: “Matt and his fellow directors have created a fast-growing and successful business in a highly competitive market. They impressed us with their future vision for Great Fridays and we are happy to provide financial backing to
support their plans.”
