Blackpool pals' passion sparks lingerie business launch

Heather Burke and Ruth White, both 23, have set up Lily and Sparrow in Church Street, Blackpool to sell daring lingerie.

And with items for all sizes they are hoping to spice up the love lives of women no matter what shape or size.

To give their business the glamour treatment they held their official launch at Viva Blackpool with a cat-walk show.

Heather said: “We spotted a gap in the market as there was so little choice in the Fylde area, especially since La Senza closed in the Hounds Hill Shopping Centre.

“We sell lingerie more toward the sexier end of the market and our size range means that they can fit a broad rage of people. We have a plus size range and a bridal range which we are looking to expand.

“Our business is online and our new website is due to launch next Tuesday.

“We did consider getting a shop, but the over-heads were too great at the start although we will be looking into it once we are established. We can also reach more people on line.”

The pair met while at Blackpool and The Fylde College but both admitted their studies did not fire their imaginations and left to find work.

Heather said: “We became best friends. Ruth was a manager in administrations and I went into retail, but we had never found anything that was our passion.

“So we decide that we would make our own passion and that’s why we decided to do this.

“We firmed up the idea in January and have been working on it full time since then.

“We got some help from Blackpool Council’s Get Started scheme.

“We went to Geoff Reeves with our ideas in the early stages and he gave us some great advice and other ideas.”

Ruth said: “In the next two years we are hoping to introduce our own brand of lingerie.”