A wave of innovative business support initiatives is significantly enhancing trade and economic growth in West Wales, particularly in Cardigan. Thanks to guidance and funding from Antur Cymru Enterprise, local start-ups and entrepreneurs are finding the resources they need to flourish.
The South Ceredigion Local Business Support project, delivered by Ceredigion County Council through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, has proven instrumental in helping businesses refine their strategies and products. This initiative has offered not only expert advice but also provided small enterprises with a space at the recently revitalised Guildhall market, which reopened this summer after a £3 million refurbishment.
Among the new traders at the Guildhall are Amaze Me 3D, which creates 3D-printed models, Under the Laurel, a handmade jewellery business, and The Craft Wife of Teifi, a sustainable crafts venture. Clive Davies, Project Manager for Antur Cymru’s Smart Busnes programme, expressed his optimism about the potential of the Guildhall as a destination for shoppers. “The Guildhall has the potential to be a destination space for Cardigan, and I’m sure will attract a lot of footfall,” he noted.
Davies added, “It’s great to see their progress in taking an idea through to their own trading space and business. This Antur Cymru project has been a big support to them and others, and I’m so pleased they had the confidence to relocate to the market, which as it develops will benefit them even further.”
In addition to the trading space, advisors are offering training workshops and one-on-one advice to existing stallholders at the Guildhall, further enhancing the support for local businesses. This initiative complements the Cynnal y Cardi Fund, also delivered by Ceredigion County Council via the Shared Prosperity Fund, aimed at empowering local communities to address economic, social, and environmental challenges.
Beverley Winn, owner of The Craft Wife of Teifi, shared her success story, stating, “Without the encouragement and ‘hand-holding’ throughout the process, I wouldn’t have had the self-belief and confidence to launch and run my little business.” Since launching three months ago, she has found an affordable trading space that allows her to engage with the local community, particularly creative neurodivergent young adults, enhancing their skills and self-esteem.
Loren Nash, who founded Under the Laurel in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, also shared her experience. “I would not have been able to do this had it not been for the encouragement and support of Antur Cymru,” she said. The Guildhall provides her with a permanent base to serve local customers and tap into the tourist market, fulfilling her dream of seeing her products in a space she designed.
Nash expressed her determination to succeed despite health challenges related to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. She aims to establish a high street shop that offers free art workshops, empowering the community through creativity. “Antur Cymru afforded me the opportunity to grow my product base and gave me the belief in myself that I could run my business from a bricks-and-mortar location,” she reflected.
Other businesses benefiting from Antur Cymru’s support include Theo Latham, known for stylish leather wallets, Andrea Edwards of Amaze Me 3D, and Neil Croucher, whose Mellangell brand produces stained-glass art and jewellery. The support provided is reshaping the economic landscape of West Wales and fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial community.