One in three stores in two of Cardiff’s Victorian-era arcades is a female-led business.
Made up of Royal Arcade, Morgan Arcade, and The Hayes, The Morgan Quarter (MQ) has more than 20 female-led businesses, like Driftwood Designs and Adamo Gallery.
This reflects recent data from The Gender Index – a national tool that measures the growth of female-led businesses in the UK.
Wales placed ahead of Scotland and Northern Ireland when it comes to the number of active businesses in the UK that are led by women (Northern Ireland 17.6%, Scotland, 18.1%, Wales 18.7%, and England 19.3%, respectively).
Becky Barratt and Lizzie Spikes run the Welsh-made homeware and accessory store Driftwood Designs, situated in the Royal Arcade.
“Welsh women are very resourceful and it’s inspiring to see women flourish in business, because you can’t be it, unless you see it,” said Becky.
The Aberystwyth-based company opened its Cardiff store in 2022 and employ over 20 staff in Wales, selling cards and homeware essentials from Cymraeg tea towels to decorative Welsh lampshades.
“I think women are supportive of each other,” she said. “I’ve had lots of little nudges and helpful advice from other women in similar positions to help me along the way – there’s a welcoming and encouraging network of businesswomen throughout Wales.”
Sophie Blunt set up Adamo Gallery with her husband Richard and moved into the Morgan Arcade in 2021.
“Women offer something different,” she says. “I’ve built a strong support system around other women in my industry and I’m passionate about showcasing female artists.”
Adamo Gallery hosts events and display an impressive range of UK leading artists, curated by a team with years of experience in the arts sector.
“All the women with stores in the arcades check in with each other, even though we all have completely different products and services.
“I think it’s amazing that a quarter of occupants are female-owned. I think more women should think about opening businesses and have the confidence to go out there and do something because they love it.”
Marika Jones has worked in facilities and centre management for 13 years and joined the MQ as centre manager in January 2023.
“Cardiff is a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive city, and the Morgan Quarter reflects that,” she said. “It’s fantastic to see so many women flourish in our arcades, and a female-led team, including myself, behind the scenes.”
