Entrepreneur Greg Taylor founded Barrow-based Big Fish Darts in 2025 after noticing that most existing darts competitions focused on professional players and often charged venues significant fees to participate.
The app, designed to make league play easy and engaging, targets pubs across the UK, allowing them to host regular darts competitions and attract more footfall.
Mr Taylor said: “I created Big Fish Darts to help bring people together in a fun way and support UK pubs.
“It’s been a challenging couple of years for the hospitality sector, so I’m proud that Big Fish Darts is helping to bring atmosphere, energy, and life back into venues.”
He secured funding through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, delivered by GC Business Finance (GCBF).
Greg Taylor (Image: Submitted)
Mr Taylor said the support was instrumental in turning his idea into a fully-fledged business.
He said: “The funding from the Start Up Loans programme allowed me to develop the app quickly and bring it to market with confidence.
“The process of working with GCBF was smooth from start to finish, and I genuinely felt supported throughout the journey.
“They made accessing funding easy to understand and felt like an arm around my shoulder during the process.”
The Start Up Loan enabled Mr Taylor to hire a team of developers, invest in marketing and enhance the app’s features and functionality.
Since its launch in January, more than 250 pubs across the UK have signed up.
Each eight-week league is generating between £1,000 and £1,800 in additional revenue per pub.
Alex Mearns, head of startup lending at GC Business Finance, said: “It’s incredible to see the pace at which Big Fish Darts has grown.
“From the outset, we recognised Greg’s vision, and Julia and the rest of our team worked closely with him to ensure the funding aligned with his mission.
“Businesses like Big Fish Darts are exactly the kind of innovative, community-focused ventures we’re passionate about supporting at GCBF.
“Greg’s journey reflects the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit within the wider start-up ecosystem in the UK, and we’re proud to play a part in helping businesses like this grow and succeed.”
Mr Taylor saw a gap in the market for a digital darts platform focused on inclusivity and social engagement, rather than professional play.
Most existing digital leagues, he said, charged venues high participation fees and focused on the professional end of the sport.
The business has also already begun expanding internationally, with its app being used in countries including South Africa, Mexico and Belgium.
Mr Taylor has ambitions to expand the model into schools and the charity sector.
He is currently developing the Big Fish School of Darts, aimed at schools, containing interactive games and hardware that meets the latest guidelines for Sport England and Ofsted for inclusion in sport and introduction to new sports.
