Lakeland Lights

The business

Founded in 2019 by husband and wife James Long and Joanna Iles, Lakeland Lights makes luxury soy candles and home fragrances entirely in-house at its Phoenix Court workshop in Cleator Moor. Every product is named after a real place and accompanied by an original scent story — a point of difference that has helped build a stockist network of more than 50 independent retailers across Cumbria, as well as a growing direct-to-consumer operation. The business employs six people, generates six-figure annual turnover, and has grown revenues by 30–40% year-on-year since launch.

The opportunity

With demand growing and two new regional ranges — Newcastle and Yorkshire — ready to launch, James and Joanna identified a clear pathway to expand their wholesale stockist base into new markets. The challenge was timing: the investment needed to launch and scale production of the flagship Advent Calendar range falls in spring, well ahead of the autumn revenues that would ordinarily fund it. To hit a target of 3,600 Advent Calendar units and enter peak season fully prepared, the business needed to bring that investment forward.

The investment

River Capital provided a £35,000 loan through NPIF II to fund stock investment for the Newcastle and Yorkshire launches, expanded Advent Calendar production and packaging, and targeted marketing to support wholesale acquisition in the new regions. The investment is expected to create 8–10 new jobs, all recruited locally. James and Joanna are also exploring apprenticeship opportunities with the University of Cumbria — and the business has already raised more than £6,000 for West Cumbrian causes including Hospice at Home West Cumbria and Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team.