A SURVEY is being made of small businesses in the West Devon area to find out how help and advice can be best targetted — and cash prizes are on offer to those responding.
The survey is being organised by Sticklepath-based West Devon Business Information Point and involves firms in the West Devon, North Devon and Torridge areas.
Jerry Bix, business advisor, said: 'There hasn't been any research done in rural areas about small businesses — it's all been done in urban areas.
'The rationale is that rural areas won't have so many problems, but that totally isn't the case.
'We have been granted Objective 2 status and organisations like ours have to try and see what the best way is to help small businesses and we need some facts and figures to back this up.'
Mr Bix said all information will be treated in confidence.
'What we are hoping is that the information will give us back up to get pots of money that we can distribute to businesses effectively,' said Mr Bix.
All businesses returning the blue questionnaire by June 12 will be entered in a draw — the first prize is £300, with a second prize of £150 and third of £50.
West Devon Business Information Point is a small rural business support project supported by local authorities and the European Union.