ORGANISERS of last week's Plymouth Enterprise Week have hailed it as a success.

The five-day event, from Monday to Friday last week, included a range of activities which championed businesses from across the city.

Schoolchildren were involved in many of the events over the week and plenty of businesses supported it. The week was organised as part of National Enterprise Week – and those behind the initiative said it was the 'best Enterprise Week yet'.

Elaine Budd, spokesperson for the week, said that Plymouth had 'gained a reputation nationally' for embracing the Enterprise Week initiative. She also said the city was being looked at as an example of best practice for the week.

She said: "It was a great week once again and it helped to build on an already excellent reputation we have as a city for running the initiative.

"It was the best yet. I hope next year's will be even bigger and better so we can show that we are the Enterprise Week leaders in the South West."

Highlights of the week included the INSPIRE Skills Festival at Plymouth Albion last Wednesday. The event was for young people to gain an interactive experience of sector activities to help their future career choices.

The Herald's Youth Awards on Thursday at City College Plymouth for young people who have done well in business or in their communities over the past year was also a success. Other events included a Make Your Mark Challenge at both City College Plymouth and UCP Marjon.

One of the last events of the week, on Thursday, was a 'Reverse Dragons' Den' event which was held at the Astor Hotel on the Hoe. About 70 businesspeople turned up to grill some of the city's enterprise leaders on their jobs – and also to get advice on industry in Plymouth.

The event was called Crunching The Credit Crunch. Astor boss Joseph Louei hosted it with the panel including Danny Bamping, director of Bedlam Puzzles, and Vicky Ford, managing director of Plymouth Sound

He said: "It was organised so that some of the city's top business 'dragons' could answer questions and give free business advice.

"It was a fantastic event. We covered topics like cutting VAT and buying local. It was an excellent turn-out. We also recommended that businesses join the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce so we can stick together. It was a great event at the end of an excellent Enterprise Week."

To find out about the chamber or to contact Mr Louei email him at the joseph@astorhotel.co.uk address.