A Polish businessman who funded his early ventures by working in security has become the latest employer to sign up for HullBID’s radio system.

Krzysztof Lisiecki said his years working in bar and restaurant security convinced him of the benefits of the service, which links Hull city centre businesses with each other and with Humberside Police. He said the radio will give extra protection to staff at his Pasikonik East European supermarket in Carr Lane, and to customers of all nationalities.

He said: “We already have CCTV and I know from experience that a radio system is also very helpful so as soon as HullBID told me about it I was very interested.

“We see ourselves as part of the city centre business community. That is why we opened our store in Carr Lane rather than such areas as Beverley Road and Anlaby Road.”

Krzysztof arrived in the UK ten years ago and found work in a factory before gaining his Security Industry Authority qualifications and working late into the night helping to fund business ventures which over the years ranged from a garage to a beautician and solarium.

He said: “I was trying to find the right sort of business for me. I didn’t enjoy being a mechanic and I am not a beautician so in 2011 I moved into food retailing.”

Pasikonik – which means grasshopper in Polish – opened its first store in Spalding and then expanded to Wisbech. The Hull outlet opened late last year and Krzysztof has now added stores in Goole and Mansfield.

He said: “From the start it was a good business. I believed in it and I had the vision of building a chain. It is a steep learning curve and we have made a lot of mistakes along the way but the demand for our products is there and the target this year is to open five more shops and increase our staff from 29 to 65.”

Central to the business plan is the policy of broadening the customer base beyond the East European community. Pasikonik has English translations for most of the products and Krzysztof is now working to promote integration by standing for election to the locaol authority in Lincoln where the business is based.

He said: “It would have been easy for us to open in the same areas as all the other East European food shops but we want to welcome customers of all nationalities so we were very happy when we found premises opposite Primark. We want to show people that the food here is good and relatively inexpensive.”

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID City Centre Manager, said: “Krzysztof has had an interesting career and has worked hard to launch Pasikonik and to expand the business.

“He has certainly brought something different to the city centre and we look forward to working with him by providing a HullBID radio system and maybe by adding some new ideas to this year’s Yum! Festival of Food, Drink and Music.”

Pictured: Mr Lisiecki, with HullBID City Centre Manager Kathryn Shillito and HullBID Support Officer Raich Orr.

For more information, visit the Pasikonik website: http://pasikonikstores.co.uk/