Entrepreneurs - Alan Mandel Butler

Alan Mandel Butler delivers a confident pitch to the Dragons. He is asking for investment in a Halloween scare event called The Sickness which would take place in an abandoned hospital. Alan seems to catch the Dragons’ attention with his claims that in the US the scare industry is a multi-billion dollar industry whilst in the UK it is still a relatively young and emerging industry.

The Dragons have their own chance to meet the cast of The Sickness as the Den is taken over by a group of zombie medical staff and patients. Alan introduces two of these zombies as his co-directors Alistair Reith and Tash Banks.

However, the horror display doesn't seem to instil the Dragons with fear. Duncan Bannatyne asks why anyone would want to walk through a hospital and be scared. He also tells them that he failed to find their display scary. Tash Banks explains that horror appeals to a lot of people and was currently one of the highest grossing types of film.

Peter Jones says that he enjoyed the display but questioned why they had valued the business at £1 million. He tells Alan he assumed that he had a couple of years of solid profits otherwise they would just be trying to mug a Dragon for £200,000. But Alan tells Peter that as a company Apocalypse have only been together for under a year and have nothing to show him in terms of business history.

Theo Paphitis asks where the remaining £800,000 is going to come from. Alan admits he didn’t know. After prompting from Duncan Bannatyne he admits that it is going to come from no-one.

Deborah Meaden tells the directors that although their performance was good they had made a serious miscalculation in arriving with an idea, not a business proposition. For that reason, she declares herself out. Theo Paphitis is quick to follow suit for the same reasons.

Peter Jones also declares himself out, adding that the scariest thing today is their business naivety.

For the directors of Apocalypse though the scariest thing is perhaps the wrath of the remaining two Dragons.

Duncan Bannatyne asks what his return would be on the £200,000 and is unimpressed when they tell him in three years it would be £200,000. He tells them it is diabolical to ask for £200,000 for a company which is only just being formalised and, for that reason, he’s out.

James Caan is the last Dragon to declare himself out, telling them that their pitch is poorly researched and presented and for him has zero credibility.

The deal done in the Den: No investment.

Last updated: 15 July 2009