E-Quest owner Matt Hartill on his new floor for online gamers. Picture by Robin Crossley.
GAMING and internet business E-Quest has expanded, thanks to investment and IW Lottery funding.
The business, established seven years ago by Matt Hartill, has used funding from the lottery to pay for new monitors, while he has invested his own funds into expanding into the first floor of the Scarrots Lane property, in Newport.
"We used to mix the internet machines with the gaming machines but we have moved all the gaming machines upstairs and now have nine dedicated internet machines downstairs," said Matt.
"When they were all together we would sometimes have to tell the gamers to quieten down if people were working next to them.
"Now they have their own place to themselves, it’s like a club, it’s somewhere for them to meet," said Matt.
"I used to work with my dad in the computer businesses, selling games and things. But when businesses such as HMV came to Newport, we realised we could not compete and we had to change what we did and that’s when we set up E-Quest.
"We had help from the IW Lottery and that meant I could get help from the bank. The business is debt free now and I own the freehold," said Matt.
Reporter: ross.findon@iwcp.co.uk