PRIME business club

William Cawley, 53 created a heritage walk with a terrifying twist, when he invented the Shriek in Leek ghost tour.

Bill first did the ghost walk in November 2005 as a fundraising event for Children in Need. Over 40 people turned up to be spooked, raising the charity £100. Seeing the opportunity to make money from the venture, Bill began to repeat the event for special occasions like Halloween, and for large groups coming into town.

Bill dresses up in old style hat and robes to set the sinister tone. The tour lasts an hour and a half, with Bill leading the group through some historical landsites, attributing ghoulish tales to them along the way. The groups fluctuate from 3 to 40 plus people, and can be anything from scout groups, international scientists, or supernatural enthusiasts. Bill describes the walks as being ‘like jazz; a basic theme but lots of variation’. While keeping a creepy focus, he tailors the experience to the group; giving out translations for foreign students, and incorporating architecture, literature, art or culture for those with an interest. The tour finishes at a local pub, where participants can enjoy some food and merriment, and sometimes a live band.

Research

With a degree in History and Politics, articles in the Leek Post and Times, and an avid passion for local knowledge, Bill already had a wealth of information, ready to be unleashed on the public. Bill did extra research by placing an advert in the local paper asking for people’s experiences of ghosts in the area. Bill also studied back papers from the Post and Times’ archives, telling him of famous incidents and haunted buildings. Bill keeps his research fresh, so that his tour can change and develop.

Problems

Although Bill managed to do the tour fairly regularly - about once a fortnight, he found marketing a big problem. Without his own website, or help from the local authorities, Bill was unable to get enough visibility to keep the tour consistent. Conveniently, Bill was approached by Julie Lovatt of The Coffee Clique, also in Leek, who wanted to do something special for Halloween. Bill provided his services, beginning the tour from the coffee shop, while Julie stayed open late providing drinks for the returning customers. The pair now works together when there are festivals or events in Leek, and this brings in good publicity and numbers for both.

Though Bill has found ways to advertise, visibility is still an issue. Bill plans to combat this by setting up a website. He has received cobwebs (information for business factsheets) on ‘Developing and creating a basic website for your business,’ and ‘Choosing and using a website designer’ from PRIME which provide tips, advice and contacts for those wanting to explore this area.

Another problem was unemployment. It sounds obvious, but in the period that Bill was signed on, declaring the ghost walk would mean losing benefits, and paying taxes. Shriek in Leek was not reliable enough to replace these funds, so the absence of work meant there was no ghost tour for about 8 or 9 months.

Future

Bill works part time fundraising for local hospice Douglas Macmillan, and part time writing Port Vale Tales; the history of a local football club, funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund. Soon the latter will come to an end, and Bill will think about taking on his business full time. One idea is to invest in a mini bus, which will enable Bill to tour around the Moorlands area. To do this Bill will need funding. PRIME are currently working with Zopa on the Olderpreneur Loan Scheme. You can find details of eligibility and how to apply here. Business Link has information about finance and grants on their website.

Contacts

Bill Cawley
Tel: 01538 382 966
Email: williamcawley55@btinternet.com