A BUSINESS “whizz kid” from Bolton has sold his thriving parking spaces rental company which last year won plaudits and financial backing bids from BBC’s Dragons’ Den.

Businessman Harrison Woods, aged 23, has seen his successful Primal Parking firm snapped up by private investors for an undisclosed sum.

The sale was concluded the same day the Harwood man graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA 2.1 (Hons) degree in geography.

Last year, The Bolton News told how he survived the dreaded Dragons’ Den to secure a £60,000 investment offer from Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones.

The business is an online marketplace for the finding and letting of private parking spaces across the UK.

Now, nearly two years after its launch, Mr Woods has sold the firm and is whetting his appetite in preparation for a move into the consultancy sector.

In 2009, the former Bury Grammar School pupil set up Parking Guardian after developing an electronic barrier to prevent unauthorised parking on reserved spaces. And later, Primal Parking was born out of that initial venture.

He said: “While I was selling the bollards, I saw all these unused spaces and ended up putting two and two together.

“We provided a way for people to make money by renting out their unwanted spaces and provided parking all year round for the likes of work, shopping, the airport, concerts and football matches.

“In the first week of our launch, 5,000 private individual users advertised their parking spaces. We grew the company from nought to 10,000 active, registered users.”

Commenting on the sale of his business, which had a five-strong staff, he added: “I was approached, although I did have an idea that I would eventually sell.

“I thought it was the right time. I want to do as many things as possible and then move on.”

Mr Woods will now move into private consultancy for commercial property firms, advising them on how they and their clients can maximise the value on the property assets.