The glitz and glamour of burlesque is set to pervade the North East, through the launch of a new creative production company on Tyneside.

The three female entrepreneurs behind Bordello Bordello – Catherine Burns, Rose Higgins and Michelle Newell – came to know each other through mutual involvement in the North East’s performing arts scene. Fed up with its lack of glamour and diversity in comparison to what they saw outside of the region, they decided to pool their resources and create a business unique to the area.

Catherine Burns, 34 and from Washington, Tyne and Wear, said: “Between the three of us we had built a great deal of experience in the elements required to infuse an event with glamour, fun and just the right dose of the unexpected. However, despite the North East being just as diverse as any other part of the country, the growing niche in the market for these services simply wasn’t being catered for here.”

With this in mind, Catherine conceived Bordello Bordello along with Rose, 25, and Michelle, 24, who are both originally from Glasgow. They began planning a three-tier business which would consist of an event production company, an alternative modelling agency, and a costume & clothing design arm.

The trio approached the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) for assistance in constructing their business plan, and also received marketing support and financial advice from the organisation.

Catherine said: “The advisers at the BIC were fantastic – they seemed to understand our vision from the offset, and opened our eyes to some elements of going into business that we hadn’t previously considered.”

Following almost two years of careful planning, and the recent news that the business is to receive funding from the Arts Council, the three different strands of Bordello Bordello are all set to swing into action in April, when the girls begin trading from their new company HQ, at Design Works in Gateshead.

Alan Gillis, Business Adviser at the North East BIC, said: “This business is truly unique to the region, and the girls have all the experience and determination required to bring the glamour and fun that people are experiencing elsewhere to the North East.”

For more information call Bordello Bordello on 0191 423 6246 or visit www.bordellobordello.co.uk.