Traders in Tregaron have praised the support of Antur Cymru, enabling them to take their businesses to the next level.

With backing from Ceredigion’s Local Business Support and Smart Busnes projects – provided by Ceredigion County Council via the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund – countless traders have benefited from targeted advice.

They have capitalised on guidance and expertise, interactive training sessions on multiple topics – including marketing, social media, branding, and commercialisation – and the “confidence boost” needed to go it alone, as well as calling on each other when in need of space, services and extra resources.

Among them is Halen a Pupur, whose owners Claire Davies and Morfudd Pugh opened the venue in the Spring.

“When we first started, we were entering the unknown and needed that guidance and somebody to hold our hands and to tell us to do something a little different, to make it unique and make it our own,” said Morfudd.

Claire, added: “Antur Cymru came into our lives just weeks before we were due to open, we saw they were holding a drop-in clinic, and it was so well timed.

“We have accessed their help for all these new things we had never done before as our backgrounds were in other areas, such as applying for grants and dealing with suppliers – it made us feel assured.”

Tracy Watkin was in a very different position having acquired historic Y Talbot 14 years ago.

She said: “We have seen an increase in sales, more engagement with our customers and while we were not initially looking for social media and online support we ended up on that road.

“I’m really glad we did as it’s improved the business and helped us to grow our database, create newsletters and reach a new audience.”

The people and culture of Tregaron is a theme and thread of significant importance to all the traders and small businesses that have approached Newcastle Emlyn-based Antur Cymru.

Gwenllian Bulman-Rees, who founded Gwen’s Cake Shop (Siop Cacennau Gwen) at just 14 years of age, also praised the enterprise for helping her to apply for funding when setting up her website.

Claire Jesse from Welsh Homestead Smokery, was also supported saying: “Antur Cymru helped us successfully apply for a grant to help increase the production space and the products we make, and hopefully that will eventually lead to us taking on more staff.”