DCSIMG

Firm grew 43 times over in four years

A company which began in a garage in December 2005 has been hailed as one of the fastest growing in Britain.

Husband and wife-run holiday firm Planet Cruise has been named number five in a list of the UK's 100 fastest-growing firms, compiled by research group Fast Track.

The company specialises in selling cruise ship packages, and began with couple Jenny and Gary West setting up shop at home.

Now it has been hailed for going from a turnover of 603,000 in its first year, to 13.5m last year.

And since Planet Cruise submitted its 2009 accounts for Fast Track to look at, its 2010 figures show this has gone up again - to 26m.

That's 43 times higher than in year one.

Jenny, 40, co-founder of the business based in Bedford Road, Petersfield, said: 'When we started it was a tiny little garage. We had a window and a computer.

'Now it's a double storey building with 40 employees.'

Husband and dad-of-two Gary West, 44, said: 'It was just Jenny and myself at first. It's been pretty rapid growth.

'It's pretty all-consuming, seven days a week. It's been a lot of sweat and toil along the way.

'Getting the work-life balance right is always a challenge.

'Competition being what it is, we've got to trade seven days a week against other more dominant brands. We still feel we're a bit of an underdog.'

Asked how much would be 'enough', Mr West said: 'I've always felt 100m in turnover would be something. I guess we're on the way there, but it's a few years away yet.'

The top 100 table was published in the Sunday Times at the weekend.


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