A BUSINESS owner whose premises was burned down during the inferno in Earlestown is looking for help in getting his dream back on track.

The premises of ARC Window Films was decimated by the huge blaze which broke out at a recycling centre at Sankey Valley Industrial Estate on Wednesday.

Owner Neil Brabbs, 35, has been left devastated after the fire.

The firm, which operates nationwide, has been growing year on year and moved to its Earlestown premises last year.

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It upgrades existing windows to make them safer, more energy efficient, or to solve problems with heat and glare.

During the lockdown, with some staff on furlough, Neil went into the office every day to hand make DIY face visors and donated them free of charge to the NHS and key workers.

With the coronavirus pandemic having already had an impact, Neil says the fire could not have come at a worse time for the business, with summer the busiest period for trade.

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"It has taken me 10 years to get to where it is one of the best in the UK," he said.

"I was four hours away during the fire and people rang me up and said that's near my premises. From the car on the way back I had to watch the premises on fire and by the time I got back it had burned down.

"It couldn't have happened at a worse time, we're a seasonal business.

"We are the first tenants, it's a purpose-built premises."

A fundraising page has been launched to help with the effort to get Neil's business get up and running again following the devastating fire.

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Neil Brabbs

"Other than the recycling plant where it started, I think we are the only business to have been totally destroyed by the fire," added Neil.

"There is literally nothing left, every last bit went up in smoke. The only positive seems to be that nobody was hurt, for which I am grateful.

"Having had chance to fully comprehend the magnitude of the damage, the impact on the business, and the costs involved, I may need a little help getting my dream back on track.

"Having just about steadied the ship after corona hit, this really is a kick whilst down, and will be a real challenge going forward.

"I am not the type to give up and refuse to let corona or a fire stop me from being upbeat, working hard, and making the business a success again – but I may need a little help to get things back up and running."

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