Ascona founder Darren Briggs awarded Scale-up Entrepreneur of the Year

By David Shrimpton in Industry News 24th November 2023

Darren Briggs, founder and chief executive of forecourt retailer Ascona Group, has been named Wales Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023.

The award recognises Briggs’s leadership as Ascona embarked on a redevelopment programme across its portfolio, as part of its strategy to take “unloved forecourts and transform them into vibrant, world-class roadside retail destinations”.

The judges praised Ascona’s “remarkable ability to transform neglected assets into thriving retail destinations” and also commended the group’s growth trajectory.

Briggs said: “This is a proud moment for all of us at Ascona and the award reflects the success of our transformative redevelopment programme and we look forward to delivering on some exciting projects in 2024 and beyond.”

Briggs started the group in 2011 with one forecourt in Pembrokeshire and in the last six years it has grown from two to more than 60 sites.