WITH just a week of the Business Boost competition remaining, one Ulverston gift shop entrant is hoping that victory would strengthen its reputation and build on its success.

Squirrel opened its doors in 2015 and now its owners feel confident in embarking on a new phase of growth.

Partnered with the gift shop is Sting In The Tail – based in Bardsea Business Park, near Ulverston – which designs, manufactures and supplies unique giftware to trade customers in the UK and internationally.

The firm has entered the North-West Evening Mail’s Business Boost competition to try and achieve this.

Store manager Miriam Kitts said: “I think that Business Boost will be really useful for us so that we can find out how the business can benefit from traditional media.

“We use a lot of social media and raise awareness on Instagram and Facebook to great effect, so it would be nice to see if people will come from out of town to discover what we have to offer.”

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Owner of Sting In The Tail and the Squirrel gift and lifestyle shop in Ulverston, Katherine Holmes, said: “I’ve entered Business Boost because we’re keen to keep moving forwards as a business, we opened the shop 18 months ago and we feel like we’ve found our feet and it’s time to explore other avenues.

“It’s really time for us to further develop our advertising plan to see where we go from here, we try to evolve things constantly and you can be left behind if you think you’ve got it sussed.”

Business Boost applications are invited in two categories. One for new businesses up to five years old, and one for established businesses of any age with fewer than 250 employees.

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Chartered accountant Lamont Pridmore and law firm Bendles Solicitors will offer free advertising, mentoring and support to enterprises which show growth potential as part of the initiative.

A total of six businesses will win £10,000 to spend on advertising in our newspapers and associated websites – there will be one winner from each category for north, west and south Cumbria.

Lamont Pridmore will also offer an additional special sponsors' prize of free consultancy support to a business that it feels will benefit particularly.

Entries close next Friday, March 31. Visit www.nwemail.co.uk/businessboost for more information.