by Kate Pritchard - Tuesday, 22nd July 2008 - (8) comments - Business comment

Dragons’ Den is back! In the first episode of series six, screened last night, Jones and Paphitis cosied up in bed to test out a novelty sheet.

Designer John Foster-Smith and business partner Ros Adams entered the Den, looking for £50k to develop their “Layline” sheets. But after a playful pitch, the Dragons were still perplexed. “Just to be clear, is this just a sheet with a line down it?” asks Caan, rubbing his beard in confusion.

Paphitis was also bemused: “Is this an alternative to contraception?”

Foster-Smith and Adams patiently explained that the Layline sheet prevents sleeping couples from encroaching on their partner’s half of the bed. Bannatyne let out an almighty sigh: “My wife doesn’t cross the line enough,” he moaned.

Jones and Paphitis decided to give it a go, jumping into bed together while the other Dragons tried to stifle their laughter. After rolling around for a few minutes and threatening to take his clothes off, Jones walked away unimpressed. “Don’t bother testing it out in a commercial market,” he told the entrepreneurs. “It’s never going to be a business.”

The Layline sheet wasn’t the only product to get the thumbs down. The Baby Station, the Strike Trainer punch bag, Paradise Panels garden fences (ugly) and non-slip travel cushions (pointless) were all knocked back.

But it was Paul Lobo and Barry Ritchie’s Air Oasis water purifier that caused the biggest stir last night. “We’re going to change the way water is produced,” claimed Ritchie – a balsy ex-salesman who was dripping with sweat throughout the pitch.

Caan and Meaden bristled at Ritchie’s aggressive approach. “Working with you would drive me crazy,” said Caan.

Keen to convince the Dragons to invest £125k in their Air Oasis machines, the pair gave a quick demo and invited them to try the water. “It tastes awful!” said Bannatyne. “It’s rubbish!”

Paphitis was pretty disgusted, too. “My kids would throw that water back at you.”

Two budding businesses emerged triumphant last night. Cambridge band Hamfatter rocked the Den with a rendition of their single and ended up with a £75k investment from The Tall One (aka Peter Jones) in return for a 30 per cent share of music sales and royalties. Watch their performance here.

Event entrepreneurs Julia Charles (aged 27) and Amy Goldthorpe (aged 20) also wowed the Dragons with their wacky props – a talking tree and a silver human table.

Caan and Bannatyne teamed up to offer the pair £75k for a 40 per cent stake in their business, D4M. Reluctant to be outdone, Jones and Paphitis joined forces in a rival bid. With the two teams of Dragons going head to head and tension mounting, Charles looked like she was about to burst into tears from the sheer pressure but eventually accepted the Caan/Bannatyne deal.

“This is a dream,” she gushed afterwards.

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