Mum rises to the top with village business
A former horticulturist who took over the running of Kilmelford village shop four years ago is now offering post office services to surrounding areas.
After working in the horticultural industry for 13 years and being a full-time mum to her five children, Sarah-Jane Edwards sought a new challenge.
So, when her local shop and post office was in need of rejuvenation, she jumped at the chance to build it up again.
Sarah-Jane, who received support from Business Gateway Argyll and Bute, also opened a café above the shop and, as the sole rural post office in the area, will now offer postal services to nearby villages.
She said: ‘The main inspiration for the business was the fact I wanted to try something new and be my own boss. Our local shop and post office almost died, which would have been dreadful for the village, so I felt it not only gave me the challenge I wanted, but allowed me to retain an important element of the community.
‘I wanted to ensure locals and tourists got use of the shop and by opening the café in 2016, we were able to attract even more visitors.
‘In 2017, I decided to visit Business Gateway to see if there was any support available and they’ve been amazing. My adviser has been very supportive and has given me ideas for the future as well as building my confidence.’
The village shop and Room at the Top coffee shop provide groceries, as well as range of local produce, homemade cakes and pies.
Sarah-Jane added: ‘The response to our cakes and pies has been really positive so my plans for the future will focus on the food side of the business. My aim is to get our food as well established as our shop and post office and continue to offer a quality service to both visitors and villagers.’
To find out more about how Business Gateway can help you, call 01546 808363 or visit www.bgateway.com/argyll-and-bute Business Gateway is Argyll and Bute Council’s dedicated business support resource, providing practical advice free and in confidence to both existing businesses and new start-ups based in Argyll and Bute.
The service offers advice from experienced business advisers, business skills workshops, information, guides, templates for key documents, networking and can signpost available funding.
Since its launch in Argyll and Bute in 2009, Business Gateway has provided support to hundreds of local businesses, helping them to start up, survive or grow. Last year more than 100 new businesses started up in Argyll and Bute and more than 250 existing businesses were supported by the team.
Business Gateway Argyll and Bute achieved top ranking for meeting customer expectations last year, according to an independent customer satisfaction survey, with 94 per cent of respondents saying that their expectations were met as well as 93 per cent saying that their business would benefit from the support provided. Overall customer satisfaction from users of the service in Argyll and Bute is consistently above the national average for Scotland.
The business adviser for the Oban area is Angela Vernel. Angela joined the Business Gateway team in 2013 and has a background in business investment, having worked for many years for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.