Great shakes

10:01am Wednesday 5th March 2008

LEIGH ROBINSON visits a new shop in Swindon whose owners are aiming to set off a drinking revolution with a difference.

Swindon is set to become the centre of a new drinking revolution and, for once, there's not a drop of alcohol involved.

Enter Mi-Shake, who provide hot and cold milkshakes at their new premises in the Brunel Centre.

This is the first of what its owners reckon will be many, and when those owners are Siggy Wilberg and James Swift, then you have to take notice.

Between them they already run six Domino's Pizza establishments - three in Swindon and one each in Newbury, Bath and Bristol.

Back in 1992, when James was 16, he started work for Siggy, delivering pizzas. He worked extremely hard and went from riding a scooter to driving a Ferrari, plus running his own franchise along the way.

He and Siggy became both warm friends and business partners, and the Mi-Shake idea became a reality.

And people are flocking through the doors.

There are literally hundreds of flavoured milkshakes, from Weetabix through to Millions Bubble Gum' or rhubarb and custard.

Apart from these exotic tastes, there are the more conventional ones - apple, banana, blackcurrant or strawberry - and these are made from natural fruit puree.

Advice can be given for special dietary requirements, and then there are energy drinks.

"We reckon we've got a good thing going here," said Siggy.

"We've had a number of people complimenting us on what we're doing, and lots of people come back time and time again.

"Because it's been successful in Swindon, we will probably open other branches, and we've talked about franchising the business."

From their vast menu, prices begin at £2.60 and go through to £5.40 for a soya milk special, and it would be difficult for someone not to find something they couldn't enjoy.

The business uses only trade mark products in their milkshakes, and all the drinks are prepared at Swindon.

To start their business up they have introduced a loyalty card where it's possible to get free milk shakes after collecting stamps, plus the chance to win an iPod nano.

• The company has a website at www.mi-shake.com, and their telephone number is 01793 523100.