Ballycastle wellness entrepreneur wins major regional business award

Twenty-four year-old Declan McCook, founder of Niche Coastal

A young entrepreneur from Ballycastle has been recognised among the top emerging businesses across Scotland and Northern Ireland after securing silver in the prestigious HSBC & FSB Start-Up Business Awards.

At just 24 years old, Declan McCook, founder of Niche Coastal, was named runner-up in one of the competition’s most competitive categories — a significant achievement for a business launched little more than a year ago on the North Coast.

The recognition places the Ballycastle-based wellness business alongside some of the region’s most successful and fastest-growing start-ups, highlighting the growing influence of Northern Ireland’s wellness and tourism sector on a wider stage.

From North Coast idea to regional recognition

The Niche Coastal experience

The awards ceremony took place at the Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa in Glasgow on 12 May 2026, bringing together entrepreneurs and businesses from across Scotland and Northern Ireland to celebrate innovation, growth, and business success.

Niche Coastal has built its reputation around a distinctive mobile sauna experience, combining wellness, relaxation, and coastal scenery in locations across Northern Ireland and beyond.

The business also provides exclusive private hire experiences for events, retreats, and wellness gatherings, helping tap into growing demand for outdoor wellness experiences and experiential tourism.

What began as an idea from a young Ballycastle entrepreneur has rapidly developed into a recognised regional brand with customers travelling to experience the service.

Building a business around wellness and community

Since launching the company, Declan has focused on creating what he describes as a five-star customer experience centred around relaxation, community, and connection with the coastline.

Declan McCook, founder of Niche Coastal, awarded silver in the prestigious HSBC & FSB Start-Up Business Awards.

Speaking after receiving the award recognition, he said:

“To be recognised among some of the most successful start-up businesses across Scotland and Northern Ireland is an amazing feeling.

“Just over a year ago, I started Niche Coastal as a 23-year-old with an idea and a huge passion for bringing wellness to my local community.

“I have worked hard behind the scenes to create experiences that deliver a five-star visit every time customers join us.

“There is nothing I enjoy more than welcoming people into the sauna and seeing them leave feeling refreshed and recharged.

“The support over the past year has been incredible, and I am excited to see what the next year in business holds.”

Growing spotlight on North Coast entrepreneurship

Niche Coastal mobile sauna

The award recognition comes amid increasing attention on the North Coast’s growing tourism, hospitality, and wellness industries, with independent businesses continuing to attract visitors and investment into the area.

For Ballycastle and the wider Causeway Coast region, success stories like Niche Coastal reflect a broader trend of younger entrepreneurs building modern experience-led businesses that blend tourism, wellbeing, and local identity.

The achievement also represents a significant milestone for a business still in its early stages, particularly in a category featuring start-ups from across multiple industries throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Niche Coastal continues to expand its reach across Northern Ireland and further afield as demand grows for private wellness experiences and mobile event hire.

The business remains based in Ballycastle, where the original idea first took shape just over a year ago.