A MAN who set up a grocery store in Tavistock with all local produce has been recognised for his entrepreneurial skills at 10 Downing Street.

Jason Biram of Roots and Vines was one of 50 successful business owners across the country helped by the New Enterprise Allowance invited to meet David Cameron.

Jason opened his store on the corner of West Street and Russell Street 18 months ago after being unemployed for over a year, and the business is going from strength to strength.

His success, he believes, is in the quality of the product, the quality of service and being in a town where people appreciate good food and where it comes from.

All his vegetables come from Devon and Cornwall and all the ales, biscuits, jams and sauces, if not produced in the two counties, do not come from outside the South West. The only exception is the olive oil produced by Jason's mum and dad who live in Andalusia, Spain, which is on tap.

The Tavistock resident, who has always worked in retail and used to run Stokes fruit and veg stores in Plymouth and Plymstock, said he was helped by the New Enterprise Allowance 18 months after being made redundant.

'I couldn't get a job and being partially sighted I cannot drive anymore so that made it more difficult,' he said.

'To qualify for any help I had to put together a sound business plan and be unemployed for a certain amount of time.'

Jason was also helped by business support organisation BIP near Okehampton and the Frederick Foundation who together with NEA funded half the costs to set up the business. This, with his redundancy money, bought all the equipment and stock and hire of the rental premises he needed to get going. He now employs two people part-time and new initiatives include a veg box scheme.

Jason said he first thought the invite to 10 Downing Street, which came as an email, was a joke from either his mates or his father: 'I couldn't believe it really and going there was a real experience,' he said.

'To go through the gates and walk up those stairs with the photographs of all the prime ministers on the walls was amazing.'

Mixing with the likes of Levi Roots and James Caan from Dragon's Den, Jason said it was a great day and David Cameron gave an inspiring speech which talked about creating hope for the country and jobs for young people through small businesses just like Roots and Vines.