The revitalisation of Kilmarnock’s Historic Quarter has reached another milestone with the arrival of the first tenant in the newly opened Ingram Enterprise Centre.
Conceived and run by East Ayrshire Council‘s Economic Development Team, the building offers serviced accommodation, meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and training facilities with a reception facility during core office hours. An all-inclusive rental cost including heating, lighting and internet will allow businesses to budget for occupancy costs in the early stages of their business growth and Business Gateway’s office on the ground floor will offer support.
Giglets Education, founded in 2011 by Craig Johnstone and Dr Karsten Karcher, is the first business to take up space in the Victorian building. Giglets Education has developed online literacy and reading software for schools to help children build knowledge, skills and creativity. The company’s growth aspirations for their own future have recently been bolstered by The Scottish Government’s decision to commission them to deliver a £1.28m contract for Gaelic Medium Education Scottish National Standardised Assessments (GME SNSA) as part of the National Improvement Framework.
Craig Johnstone, pictured above, said: “Giglets Education has an inextricable connection to Kilmarnock and we are thrilled to be locating our headquarters at the Ingram Enterprise Centre (IEC), particularly as we enter such a significant period of growth in our business. East Ayrshire Council has shown true leadership and ambition by investing in this development and supporting local business.
“That same sentiment meets with our vision of growing a global organisation from right here in East Ayrshire, our home. The IEC provides us with the infrastructure and working environment that our team needs as an outwardly looking, international EdTech business. Thank you to East Ayrshire Council and the Economic Development team for their support over many years and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership into the future.”
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council, added: “It’s particularly fitting that Craig and Giglets are the first tenants of Ingram Enterprise Centre. As a former pupil of Loudoun Academy, we’ve worked with Craig every step of the way in establishing Giglets thus far, and this move is a logical step in the growth of his exciting enterprise. His is just the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that we hope to nurture with the unique combination of serviced accommodation and business support that we can offer in the building.
“We hope Giglets is just the first of many new and growing businesses that will benefit from this innovative Centre both now and in the future.
“For businesses like Giglets this new facility will become more than just an office, giving them a community where they can support each other and benefit from the onsite support available from Business Gateway and the Business Support Team.”
Based on the ground floor of the sandstone building, Business Gateway has a strong track record in offering business support to companies across East Ayrshire.
