July 10th, 2007

Business is booming at a New Waltham school.

A cafe and a beauty salon are the newest additions to Tollbar Business, Enterprise and Humanities College's ever-expanding portfolio.

 

The school, which was granted specialist business and enterprise status in September 2002, is trying to attract more businesses to its New Waltham site.

Tollbar's business and enterprise status was this year extended to include Humanities.

 

Cafe Express, a unit providing food and drink to staff, visitors, sixth form students and members of the public, opened four weeks ago.

 

 

And this week it was joined by on-site beauty salon Essential Therapies.

 

Assistant principal Heather Boothroyd said: "The businesses are helping to bring the community on to the school site.

 

"We are all really pleased to welcome them both.

 

"It is good for the students to see real businesses operating on site.

 

"And perhaps in the future students could look at these businesses and how they operate as part of their studies."

 

Unit manager of Cafe Express, Mandy Davidson, said: "I have been really surprised with how popular it has been.

 

"It has proved to be very popular, especially with the sixth form students.

 

"We have also had a lot of members of the public coming in and that has been wonderful."

 

Sarah Mathews, manager of Essential Therapies, said: "Hopefully, it will go well.

 

"We have already had a lot of phone calls and people asking about it.

 

"I have three therapists working here and two of them have existing client bases so, hopefully, they will bring them with them."

 

Ms Boothroyd added: "We are constantly trying to expand our site."

 

And the developments have been given the thumbs-up from students.

 

Sixth former Giverny Eder-Entwistle (19) said: "The cafe is good because there is more choice and it's open longer than the canteen during the afternoon break. There's also a lot more healthy food choices - but I don't much like sharing the cafe with the teachers!"

 

Lindsay MacDonald (16) said: "I love the cafe, I have to have my Pannini every day or I am like The Hulk for the rest of the afternoon!"

 

Photography and English student Jodie Latimer (17) added: "I haven't been into the beauty salon yet but the prices are really good and students can get a five per cent discount off the treatments.

 

"I have been to other places where a manicure is £30 and here it's only £10."

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