FOR Bolton’s very own Spice Girl business is a pleasure.

Sital Raja-Arjan has worked in the well-known family store and tourist attraction The House of Raja in Fletcher Street since she was a young girl. She is now 48 and still loves being surrounded by all the spices and saris there.

“I enjoy going to work every day – I just love the buzz here,” she explained.

Born in Kenya to Nila and the late Pratap Raja, Sital has two older brothers, Shailendra and Nilendra – who now run the successful Scan Computers’ business at Middlebrook. The family came to the UK in 1972 and lived in Little Lever.

Nila and Pratap bought a small shop on Fletcher Street in 1973 and began selling spices, later adding saris. “I grew up in that shop,” said Sital, smiling at the memories. “From around 11 or 12, I just spent all my time there. I loved everything about it and just wanted to work there always.”

Her father, however, had dreams of an accountancy or pharmacy career for his daughter. She went to Little Lever Secondary School and then to South College to do her A levels – taking the science exams her father favoured rather than the arts’ ones she wanted – and then to what was Manchester Polytechnic to study accountancy.

After two years, though, the headstrong girl switched to marketing and when she qualified she went into the family business. “My father was fine with this by then,” she added.

She settled into the business, enjoying making a difference. When Granada TV began running a scheme called Flying Start to encourage young entrepreneurs, Sital applied for the programme.

“It was a bit like ‘The Apprentice’,” she said, “and, although I didn’t win, after the programme went out I got a call from Bolton Council who suggested we take the business into tourism.

“It really wasn’t something we’d thought about but, with the help of three amazing people from the council – Helen Stuart, Dorothy Sandilands and Geoff Burnett – we soon had school visits arranged and the whole thing quickly took off.”

It was no real surprise that the 23 year-old began making her mark in business because she was bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Soon, The House of Raja was not only sharing its attractions with visitors from all over the country but expanding its wares.

The colourful array of goods also became a backdrop for TV filming.

Barclaycard filmed an advert there, featuring Sital, which prompted many people not only to visit the unusual emporium but to regard Sital as a knowledgeable Barclaycard staff member and bring her all their banking problems!

What really catapulted Sital’s personal profile into the public consciousness, however, was a landmark court case with motor manufacturers Saab.

Sital had created a range of foods called Memsaab and Saab were not happy with the similarity of the name.

They took The House of Raja to court, and lost. The ensuing publicity meant that Sital was seen as a giant-killer, the little business taking on the might of a world-famous brand.

“It did cost me a lot of money which I never really got back,” she recalled, “but it was still worth it.”

Today, Sital manages the large store which has expanded its food offer and installed a delicatessen area. She is married to Pravin and they have a 13 year-old son, Sahil – “he wants to be in IT security, though,” said Sital.

Rather than rest on her business laurels, last year she joined with three others to launch a new fashion range, Rani by Raja, which crosses over between East and West and refletcs how much more westernised young women are now. “It’s been a real challenge, and I’ve loved it!” stated Sital.

In 2002, she received an MBE for services to tourism and the premises are still a popular visitor draw.

Sital herself has a strong social conscience and works on a regular basis for the Homeless Aid UK charity, giving out food and other items to Manchester’s homeless but also doing the logistics of collection and distribution.

She is also on the organising committee and a judge for the Inspire Women Awards and is on the committee of the Boot Out Breast Cancer charity.

She is still happiest, though, sitting in the store either dealing with customers or sorting through orders, surrounded by rich materials of every hue. “Yes, perhaps there is a retail gene,” she agreed. “And, if so, I’ve definitely got it – thank goodness!”