GAZETTE & HERALD: Calne-based ice cream makers Hill Station has announced it will be extending its premises and creating more jobs due to a successful stock market flotation.

The company, on the Porte Marsh industrial estate, floated on the stock market on Monday, raising about £1.5million.

This has accelerated plans for a new ice cream making facility which could create five extra jobs on the production side and another management position.

Co-founder and joint managing director, Gina Hall, 43, said: "Even now we have three people helping us on a temporary basis so already we have more than 12 staff.

"In new premises we could create a new line to make ice cream so we would need another four or five people on the production side."

The money raised by the flotation is also to be spent on marketing the ice cream products.

The company placed 17.5 million shares on the Alternative Investment Market at 8p, which has since risen to 10.5p, for the company that trades with Harrods, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Somerfield. The company was

valued at £4.7million.

The directors believe the company is now well positioned to capitalise on this supply opportunity, thereby increasing its market share in super-premium ice cream, which is the fastest growing segment of the UK ice cream market.

Commenting on the company's success, Mrs Hall said: "We set out to make the best possible ice cream and to market it on quality, not price.

"Ice cream-lovers certainly seem to like that approach and to relate to our spirit of adventure so we are delighted that the City has just given us an equally encouraging response.

"With the new funds, we'll be able to make people even more aware of the Hill Station difference authenticity, originality and the occasional taste of the unexpected."

The company is also hoping to have discussions with a supermarket chain to take on new production but Mrs Hall refused to say which companies were involved.

Co-founder and joint managing director, Charles Hall, 54, said they needed to raise cash to keep the company growing.

"We need to raise capital because our business is growing very rapidly and we need to get into a new factory.

"We are not planning to build a structure from scratch, the money will be spent on infrastructure on an existing building.

"The business has been growing very nicely and we are getting good recognition."

Mr Hall said production would continue in Calne. "We are planning to stay in the area. The new facility we are putting together will not be outside this area."