PHIL and Lisa Meakins had been frustrated that they had to travel a long way to enjoy a karting event.

About a year ago, the germ of an idea to do something locally was born. There followed months of research, drawing up of business plans and, in March of this year, becoming a finalist in the Start Doing Something New Peterborough Enterprise Programme Business Idea Competition.

"We didn't win but it showed us that what we had to offer was great," said Phil.

Four months later, the business of Peterborough Raceway is under way and already proving a success. And that for a couple with no business experience, Phil's background is in IT and Lisa is a trained nursery nurse.

But the couple knew karting, having, over the last 10 years, organised very successful karting events, mainly for friends and family, but also within the companies they worked for.

But there was nowhere local with the right type of environment and equipment. Unless, of course, you consider 46 miles away, at either Northampton or Ancaster, as local.

During an outing to The Raceway (King's Cross), which meant travelling by train, the subject was brought up again.

"Again, we have to travel such a distance for something to do," said Phil and Lisa.

And then Lisa's brainwave: "What we need is one locally."

Phil said: "It didn't dawn on us until a short time later that, indeed, we did need something in the immediate area."

During a research period which meant speaking to local businesses such as Perkins, Indesit and Thomas Cook via the HR departments, the idea really sunk in. There was indeed a general consensus that there was a gap in the market.

The couple spent the next few months attending business start-up events and travelling around many kart tracks to see what really was on offer, and using the London/Manchester examples, found a design to build around corporate entertainment.

"We then set to designing a business plan to define what we wanted to achieve and set the parameters we needed to show the business would work," said Phil.

"We spoke to many estate agents to find a suitable property. We were met with quite a lot of negativity purely because of the type of business, with its danger elements and that of a dirty environment. Most landlords simply said no."

Undeterred, Phil and Lisa turned to the Peterborough Enterprise Programme which helped them build a business plan that quite simply "changes peoples minds."

One property the couple found was ideal, but, at first, was rejected by the landlord. second time around they were persuaded by the effort and research provided and so were offered the opportunity to take it on – "at risk" to try for planning permission to see whether the council would agree to their proposals.

As part of the research, Phil and Lisa built relationships with agencies/authorities and local councillors who took a massive interest in them, trying to put in place something else for its residents to do and elevating them to where they are now.