THE Inn at the Elm Tree and We Do Wedding Films are today announced as the winners of the South Wales Argus Local Business Accelerators competition to find and accelerate the most promising young businesses in the area.

The businesses have won the LBA prize of free advertising in the Argus and mentoring from local business leaders Matt Southall, of the Acorn Group and Dylan Matthews, of the Celtic Manor Resort.

They will also have the chance of progressing to the national stages of the competition, which will see the overall LBA winner receive mentoring support from the Dragons’ Den’s Deborah Meaden, the campaign’s national ambassador.

Ms Meaden said: “I would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s Local Business Accelerators, who should all feel extremely proud to have got this far in the competition.

“The first LBA created hundreds of business success stories across the UK and I am confident that we will see hundreds more again this year, as the winners receive the campaign prize of free local newspaper advertising and mentoring.

“We need to do everything we can to support small business owners and entrepreneurs, and LBA is helping to do just that.”

Supported by the government and private sector’s Business in You campaign, LBA has seen 500 local newspapers join forces to provide a boost to promising young businesses. Research found that local newspaper advertising is highly valued by small business owners, with 60 per cent agreeing that advertising in the local paper is the best way to attract customers.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Last year’s Local Business Accelerators campaign was a phenomenal success and showed what a huge range of strong, growing businesses there are across the country. It is a huge credit to the papers taking part that they are offering real support to their local businesses. They play a vital role in local communities and are uniquely placed to boost their local economy in this way.

“Last year’s national winner, Ilkley Brewery, has gone from strength to strength, growing its sales by 140 per cent, and I hope this year’s winners will go on to enjoy similar success. I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Argus’ competition and wish them all the best for the national final.”

In addition to the main prize of a year’s mentoring from Deborah Meaden and a free ad campaign in the Argus, this year’s overall LBA winner will take home a £10,000 cash sum from the Business Growth Fund, one year’s free membership of the CBI, free business advice from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, valued at £2,000, an iPad from Freeagent, free business broadband and wifi access for a year and the design and management of a website from BT.