Business is building in Consett, County Durham, an area once synonymous with the steel industry, with two new companies opening their doors.
The last two of four retail units, built by Amethyst Homes – at its Regents Park development – are now occupied by Billet Mill Convenience Store and Sweet Things Café, which join the established Social Butterflies – a purpose-built play cafe for age 0-6 years – and Velo Electric, (previously known as Ride Electric Durham) an electric bike retailer.
Amethyst created the four purpose-built retail units, to provide local entrepreneurs and SME companies with the opportunity to grow a business within an established housing estate.
Billet Mill Convenience store is managed by Sivakumar Thangavel and provides customers with a comprehensive range of retail services. In addition to groceries, Sivakumar and his team of four (all from the local area) provide PayPoint facilities, Lottery and Parcel collection services.
Sivakumar, 45 and from Consett, said: “As a resident in the neighbouring estate I chose this location because the store is so visible and accessible, with ample car parking space and a dedicated loading bay. We are confident that we can complement the range of retail services in the area and become a competitively priced, convenience shop tailored to the local community’s needs.”
Also recently opened is Sweet Things Café, owned and managed by Katie Peters, 30 and also from Consett.
Katie said: “We live on the Regents Park estate and came across the buildings when out walking our dog, with my fiancé and son. We thought what a perfect place for our cafe to move to as we’d outgrown our original premises, and our lease was ending. The café offers gorgeous views, ample parking, and a beautiful outdoor eating area.”
This is Katie’s third year in business having previously worked as an area manager for a global coffee brand. Staffed by Katie and 10 employees, the café serves breakfast, lunch, pancakes, cakes, and a variety of hot and cold drinks to eat in or take away.
Richard Bass, Managing Director at Amethyst Homes, added: “We are thrilled that all four units are now occupied by a diverse range of businesses which will serve the local community well.
“The area has benefited from significant investment over the years, which has not only delivered much needed housing to the area but also created training and employment opportunities as well as supporting local organisations, charities and the community.”
Owners and managers of Social Butterflies, Stephanie Whitaker and Helen O’Connor added: “Regents Court has been a dream location for our children’s play cafe. Perfectly placed in the middle of a large housing estate filled with wonderful families with young children who visit us regularly for our sessions and events. We’ve hosted many birthday parties for families living in the area and truly feel part of the community.
“The large, free car park for our customers is a fantastic addition and certainly appreciated by our customers who attend with their babies.”
Richard Boulger, owner of Velo Electric (previously known as Ride Electric Durham), added: “Regents Court is the ideal location for Velo Electric as our customers travel from throughout the North East. An added bonus is being situated on the edge of the stunning North Pennines and alongside the famous ‘C2C’ cycle route which offers great opportunities for trying or hiring an eBike”.
Established in 2013, Amethyst Homes has built its business around its customers – with a strong emphasis on providing quality, sustainable homes in the communities in which people choose to live and work. To date it has built over 590 properties in the Northeast.
Currently delivering projects in Consett, southeast Northumberland and in Newcastle, Amethyst specialises in a wide range of housing from homes well suited to first time buyers, for those looking for a larger, family property, right through to affordable bungalows.
In addition to its home building successes, since the beginning of 2022, Amethyst has trained two apprentices and invested over £3m into local jobs and training opportunities within the supply chain.
The company recently maintained its 5-star customer satisfaction rating from the Home Builders Federation (awarded in 2024 and 2025) and was awarded Gold for the last three consecutive years by independent research company, In-House Research, with over 90% of customers surveyed stating that they would recommend Amethyst Homes to friends and family.
*Photo caption: From left to right is: Paula Spoor Sales Manager at Amethyst Homes, Sivakumar Thangavel manager at Billett Mill Convenience Store, Katie Peters owner of Sweet Things, Richard Boulger owner of Velo Electric (previously known as Ride Electric Durham), Helen O’Connor and Stephanie Whitaker, Owners and Managers of Social Butterflies and Richard Bass Managing Director of Amethyst Homes.