Roller Girl Gang Leeds: Award-winning skating business finds new home after 'outgrowing' Corn Exchange venue

Roller Girl Gang has said it has “outgrown” its current space and will expand its offering as it looks to move.

The award-winning roller skating business was founded in 2015 by former primary school teacher Melissa Blackwood. It started off as a passion project, as Melissa looked to build a community of adult roller skaters in the city. 

She opened her first shop in the Corn Exchange in 2020 selling wide range of roller skates and accessories, and said the journey since has been “amazing”.

Melissa told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It’s been a really steep learning curve. I don't have a background in retail and it was never planned. 

“It was a happy accident, a pivot due to the pandemic that the company was forced to take, so I ended up with a retail space, which is something I never really expected, but what an amazing journey it’s been.

“It's been fantastic being in the Corn Exchange too. Having neighbours who are also on the small business journey - that community has been invaluable. I definitely wouldn't still be here without some of those people.”

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Melissa now feels the business has “outgrown” the retail shop and is now in the final stages of signing a lease on a bigger property just outside the city centre. 

She said: “My shop is far too small to actually skate in. With the best will in the world, you can try them on and that's it. We sometimes have people shuffle up and down the carpet and it's just not the same.” 

The company began as a means to help reduce barriers to roller skating and help build confidence in those participating in the sport. And the Ramgarhia Sikh Sports Centre on Chapeltown Road has been integral to its mission.

Aiming to complement the current offering at the sports centre, the new venue will host small group glasses and one-to-one parties.

There will also be parking facilities at the new site - a huge plus for the business, which often sees people travel large distances for a pair of skates. 

Roller Girl Gang put out a Kickstarter campaign to help with the costs of relocation. And so far, £2,435 of the £30,000 goal has been raised. 

“I'm very, very grateful for the support,” Melissa said. 

“And I feel the trust that these people have placed in me is something that I take very seriously and I don't want to let anybody down. 

“Hope that that's a reflection of the brands that we built. And we're very honest, we do what we say we're going to do, and we just deliver the best that we can with what we know.”

Find out more information about Roller Gang Girl via its website and social media channels.