IN A SERIES of profiles the Times is telling the success stories of businesses who have started small in Tavistock Pannier Market and gone onto expand into their own premises.

In this, the first of these we meet cake and health food entrepreneur Dotty King who started off as a baker selling her cakes on a market stall which were made at home in Bere Alston.

She originally made cakes to order for family celebrations from her kitchen and word spread.

Now she runs a fully fledged shop, Dots Teas Wholefoods, on the edge of the Tavistock Pannier Market site.

Dotty is one of several former pannier market traders who have done well and stayed in the town due to its thriving economy which makes it a good place to stimulate small businesses.

Dotty, who has vast experience of working in business having worked in the manufacturing industry for many years, says she now finds it very rewarding being self-employed: “It is hard being self-employed at the best of times, but it is very rewarding and gives me the freedom to be creative and be in control of my own company. I have never worked so hard as I do now – about 70 hours a week.

“I accept that, but it’s a harsh economic climate generally and there are also local factors in Tavistock which are always sent to try the small business community.

“At the moment it is roadworks or parking meters. But on the other hand the town has a good reputation for small independent traders and nurturing small start-ups like those in the pannier market.

“ I do feel however, that we could promote ourselves better in the region, as a town and as a pannier market.”

Dotty, a well known figure in Tavistock as a business advocate and an amateur running coach, knows most of her customers: “I really enjoy meeting my regulars and new customers and supplying them with healthy foods. I used to work in factories, manufacturing and also in community engagement for West Devon Borough Council.

“I have a fascination for manufacturing processes and transformation of raw materials into products people need and want.

“That side of cake-making appeals. I operate on a just-in-time basis, so I don’t hold lots of stock, I studied Ford, Rover and IBM and learnt from their processes and endeavour to operate sustainably with recyclable packaging where possible and I’m accessible to mobility aids.

“I’m doing all I can to stay relevant to most people and still learn new things every day.”