And the winners of Business Boost are...

Cumbrian Stone, in Penrith, and Bruce and Luke's Coffee, in Carlisle, have each won £10,000 of advertising in CN Group newspapers and websites. 

CN Group is the Carlisle-based media company that publishes The Cumberland News, the News & Star, in-Cumbria business magazine and many other titles. 

We run Business Boost – with support from sponsors Lamont Pridmore and Bendles Solicitors – to help smaller Cumbrian businesses that have growth potential.

As well as the advertising, winners can access mentoring including accountant Lamont Pridmore’s acclaimed business consultation programme.

Seven shortlisted finalists pitched Dragons’ Den -style to our judges – Graham Lamont of Lamont Pridmore, Stuart Irving of Bendles, and Sarah White and Julian Whittle from CN.

Bruce and Luke's won the category for new businesses, up to five-years-old, while Cumbrian Stone won the section for established firms with up to 250 employees.

Mr Whittle, group business editor, chaired the judging panel.

He said: “Having been involved in Business Boost since its inception, I can vouch for the fact that this year's entries were of an extremely high calibre. We saw entrepreneurs who were fizzing with good ideas to develop their businesses.

“It augurs well for the future of Cumbria's economy that we have such people of vision who are prepared to work hard to make their ideas and dreams a reality.” 

Picking two winners was so difficult that the judges also made two 'highly commended' awards in the start-up category to The Bakehouse cafe and bakery in Carlisle, and to the tree care service ARBMap, based at Greystoke near Penrith.

Although they will not get the benefit of a free advertising campaign, they will be able to access advice and mentoring from CN Group, Bendles and Lamont Pridmore.

CN Group also held Business Boost contests in west and south Cumbria, where another four businesses have won £10,000 of advertising.

CUMBRIAN STONE

Cumbrian Stone was established in 2006 to provide a high quality manufacturing service to the natural stone industry.

It offers eight varieties of limestone and sandstone all sourced from quarries within 60 miles of its base in Penrith.

Stone arrives on a flatbed lorry and is then cut to customers' specifications. Applications vary from bespoke masonry to fireplace surrounds, landscaping, walling, paving, new build and building restoration.

Cumbrian Stone has grown significantly, investing profits into the business, and in 2015 it achieved the ISO9001 quality assurance accreditation.

Turnover is £1.8m a year and it employs 16 people including two masons. 

The recent acquisition of a £250,000 computer numerical control (CNC) machine is a game changer. This allows the firm to increase the rate of stone production and offer complex products that would be unaffordable if dressed by hand.

It is also developing a showroom at its premises at Gilwilly Industrial Estate.

Contracts manager Sam Morris said: “Winning Business Boost will be a real benefit to our future plans.

"We will be able to promote the showroom and take things forward more quickly than would otherwise have been the case.”

BRUCE AND LUKE'S

Bruce Brown and Luke Jackson took over Foxes Cafe in Abbey Street, Carlisle, five years ago and launched Bruce and Luke's Coffee as a spin off last year.

Their slogan is “grab life by the beans”, which sums up their quirky yet passionate approach. The pair have a mission to bring fresh, great tasting artisan coffees to a mass market. 

They roast their own beans in a traditional 1950s Italian drum roaster operating from a unit in the railway arches in Water Street, Carlisle.

Consumers can order online – through the web site www.bruceandlukes.com – with the option of buying one 252g bag for £7.50 or signing up for regular deliveries at a discounted rate.

All the coffees are ethically sourced. 

The most popular is the Espresso Blend, which also comes in a decaffeinated version, alongside Chocolate Dream, Citrus Burst and Hardwicke Circus – each with different characteristics.

That said, the bulk of the business is wholesale. Pioneer Foodservice in Carlisle is a customer and Bruce and Luke's is now a distributor for Sanremo espresso machines.

Turnover is projected to reach £200,000 next year and £800,000 by 2019, driven by ambitious expansion of direct sales.

Mr Jackson said: “We will use the advertising campaign to promote subscription sales, which we believe can grow by between 30 and 40 per cent a year. 

"There's definitely potential to sell direct to consumers."