Huddersfield iPhone games company Running in the Halls is a big success

Dec 9 2009 By Dave Himelfield

IT WAS the dream of four young friends on holiday.

But just five months later website and computer application designers Running in the Halls has been a runaway success!

And the company, based at Bates Mills, Milford Street, have had their latest game, Brian, approved by Apple for its iPhone.

Brian, which was released on Apple’s online App Store this week, is a puzzle game roughly similar to the classic early 90s game Lemmings.

Running in the Halls comprises communications director 26-year-old Alex Dickinson, development director Sam Croft, creative director Iman Moradi and games programmer Alison Mealey.

Sam and Alison, 28, are Huddersfield University graduates while Iman, 28, used to lecture in multimedia design at the university.

Before Running in the Halls (RITH) began Sam and Alex ran a website design firm together.

In September 2007 Alex and Sam launched website www.strictlycomedancing.tv which allowed bloggers to publish their thoughts on the hit BBC1 series.

The website was such a draw that stars of the show began to follow it.

But on a holiday in July the four friends, who all live in Huddersfield, decided to put their collective skills and cash into their own company.

And RITH has added another string to its bow in the last two weeks – inking a web design deal with Smallfry which creates innovative products for major companies such as Marks and Spencer and Nurofen.

So where does Running in the Halls get its peculiar name from?