A one-stop-shop offering business advice, information and services to companies in the Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE) area, has proved a huge success.

The Argyll Enterprise Development Initiative (AEDI), which ran from August 1999 to December 2000, was specially designed to help firms realise their full potential. A team of locally based business advisors have helped a range of companies improve their opportunities for growth by providing assistance with business or marketing plans, identifying new products or markets and providing customised training programmes.

The various training courses offered through AEDI have proved extremely popular with over 500 companies in the area taking part in start-up workshops, follow-up business development workshops and performance health checks.

AEDI was funded by AIE, part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network (HIE), and the European Regional Development Fund. Since starting 18 months ago, AEDI has assisted: -

# 62 existing and 32 new companies with business and marketing plans.

# 126 businesses were identified as having growth potential and encouraged to look at new business opportunities.

The initiative has also helped with 95 new business starts in the AIE area since the start of the programme.

The types of businesses assisted through AEDI have been varied, including musicians, boat builders, restaurateurs and public relations professionals.

Gerry Docherty and his fiancee Roxanne McGeachy run Doc's Diner in Campbeltown. They joined the scheme last October and with guidance from AEDI business advisors, took part in a business start-up workshop.

Commenting on the help they have received, Gerry said: "The AEDI business workshop that Roxanne and I took part in was very useful. In just two days, we were given valuable information on how to run a business and with that knowledge we were able to save money on accountants and so on, which is really helping the business take off."

Chief executive at AIE, Ken Abernethy said: "AEDI was extremely useful to businesses in the AIE area. It is important that as a business development agency we are not only seen as a source of funding but a source of advice, guidance and assistance for both new and established businesses who need help to realise their full potential."