Former Miss Warwickshire bodybuilding champion launches new online business

A former Miss Warwickshire-turned entrepreneur, who started a gardening business three years ago to try and regain her fitness, has expanded with a new online venture.
Sara Thompson has poured all her savings into Comparethegardener.com, which she claims to be the first gardener booking site of its kind in the UK.Sara Thompson has poured all her savings into Comparethegardener.com, which she claims to be the first gardener booking site of its kind in the UK.
Sara Thompson has poured all her savings into Comparethegardener.com, which she claims to be the first gardener booking site of its kind in the UK.

The entrepreneur, whose past businesses have included hosting topless waiter events, has launched her latest online venture within weeks of her 60th birthday.

Sara Thompson has poured all her savings into Comparethegardener.com, which she claims to be the first gardener booking site of its kind in the UK.

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The web-based service has been created on the back of her existing gardener hire business, established in 2019.

Sara Thompson as Miss Warwickshire in 1993. Photo suppliedSara Thompson as Miss Warwickshire in 1993. Photo supplied
Sara Thompson as Miss Warwickshire in 1993. Photo supplied

Sara, a mum of one from Coventry, said: “I had put on quite bit of weight having been a fitness freak. I wanted to work outside.

“I was chatting to a friend who said she knew a lady who trained people as gardeners so I looked her up and went for an interview. It went from there.”

She said: “I put out an advert and there was so much demand.

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“I soon had labourers contacting me from all over the country and that’s what got me thinking about the new business idea.

"I quickly realised there are so many gardeners looking for work and there are customers who can’t find the gardeners.”

The site has been designed to match customers to gardeners across the country without the need for home visits.

Customers upload their own photos with a brief description of the work and, once signed up, are matched with gardeners in their area who receive a notification and provide a quote.

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Sara also spent 16 years as a singer songwriter, as well as running a care home entertainment agency. But it’s her Ladies Lounge business, launched in 2005, that made the local headlines.

She said: “I don’t know why the business idea of topless waiters came to mind – but there was nothing else like it in the area and I knew women would be interested for hen nights and birthdays.

“The first event proved to be so popular I decided to open a bar. Unfortunately though I couldn’t find an investor and the eventually the plans fell through.”

Fitness also played a huge role in Sara’s life, who spent three years competing in local bodybuilding championships – even taking the Miss Warwickshire crown in Leamington in 1993.

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She said: “I hit 30 and suddenly thought I was getting old and wanted to start a fitness regime so started going to the gym.

"On my way out there was this huge poster about a bodybuilding competition and I looked at the poster and thought to myself, wow – that’s something I can’t imagine I’ll ever be doing.

"A man stood behind me and said ‘I can get you ready for that next year’ and, goodness knows how, but he managed to talk me round and one year later, I was competing.

“I was at gym three or four times a week and worked incredibly hard but the hardest thing I’ve ever done was the diet. It was horrendous.

"A palm full of rice and portion of turkey six times a day every day.”