Shoreline Stoneware

North Uist Potter Business Plans to Expand Thanks to Business Gateway Support

A North Uist pottery studio has opened a new gallery following one-to-one support and funding advice from Business Gateway.

Louise Cook, owner of Shoreline Stoneware, approached Business Gateway in 2018 with plans to expand her business by offering a new gallery alongside the existing pottery workshop.

Launched in 2013, Shoreline Stoneware creates pottery inspired by the coasts of the Outer Hebrides. Each piece of pottery is hand-crafted and unique, capturing textures from natural materials and objects found along the shores of Uist and Barra. The pieces will be displayed in the new gallery which offers visitors a stunning view of the Hebridean coastline.

In addition to providing support for her business plan, Business Gateway signposted Louise to the LEADER project, which unlocked the essential funding that enabled her to open the new gallery space.

Louise also accessed DigitalBoost, Scotland’s digital business skills training programme delivered by Business Gateway. Following this support, Louise has implemented a new social media strategy to boost awareness of the business, which has in turn increased sales.

Louise Cook, owner of Shoreline Stoneware, said: “Working one-to-one with my adviser, Alastair, really helped me to understand business strategy and operations, whilst DigitalBoost support has helped to raise awareness of the business online.

“Business Gateway Outer Hebrides has been instrumental to the growth of Shoreline Stoneware and I’ve been able to access a variety of invaluable resources and workshops that have improved my business confidence. The opening of the gallery alongside my workshop will be fantastic as I can now display all my pieces in one place, as well as offering a new tourist attraction in the local area.”

Alastair MacLeod, Business Adviser, Business Gateway Outer Hebrides, said: “It has been fantastic to work with Louise to grow her business and open the new gallery in North Uist. We were able to provide business and funding advice and introduced Louise to our wider support network.

“Armed with a new digital strategy, social media interaction has been key for Shoreline Stoneware, engaging new customers and raising awareness of both the creative gallery space and the beautiful products stocked inside.”

To find out how Business Gateway can help your business please visit Business Gateway (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) website.