Young could take on Tesco, Sir Alan Sugar tells young Bristol grocer

A young entrepreneur who turned down a career in law to set up as a greengrocer has received a letter of congratulations from business guru Sir Alan Sugar.

Former Bristol Grammar School pupil James Taylor, 19, opened James the Greengrocers in Stoke Lane, Westbury-on-Trym, on November 18, just a few months after finishing his A-levels.

Within three weeks of starting his business, he received a handwritten letter from Lord Sugar telling him to keep up the good work.

The Apprentice star also sent Mr Taylor a signed poster, encouraging him to work hard and to compete with Tesco.

The letter, handwritten on House of Lords notepaper and headed from 'Lord Sugar of Clapton', said: "Dear James, Just a note to say well done on your shop.

"Keep up the good work, it's a fantastic story of true enterprise. Best of luck, Alan Sugar. P.S. Put the poster up in your shop."

The poster of Lord Sugar posed in front of a glittering background of the City of London for the BBC1 show is signed: "What a great story and inspiration you are to British enterprise. Well done, go give Tesco's a ride for their money. Alan Sugar."

Mr Taylor, who had no previous experience in the grocery business, said the letter and poster arrived in the post completely out of the blue.

He said: "It was a great surprise and a real boost to my morale.

"It was quite a cold, wet, miserable day and a bit slow, and to get that and know someone was watching from afar was quite nice.

"I don't know why he wrote to me, but I think he was in Bristol not long ago and must have got wind of me. He started out in fruit and veg himself, selling boiled beetroot, so it could have been a link back to that. I think it is great that he took the time to send me a letter, and such a personal touch made a huge difference.

"I am going to write back to him as well to say thank you for the encouragement, and if he is ever in Bristol, ask him to come and have a look."

Mr Taylor has now put copies of the letter and poster up in his shop window, and says they are a real talking point with customers.

He said: "They all think it is great that he is encouraging young enterprise, and ask how I know him. They joke about the connections I have got and about me going around the House of Lords."

Mr Taylor, whose parents run a number of hair salons, opened his shop when he was just 18.

He was going to take a gap year and had been offered a place on a law degree at the University of Lincoln, with a view to becoming a criminal barrister.

But he chose a life of early mornings picking fresh produce at the St Philips fruit market instead of years of poring over dusty legal books, because he didn't want to saddle himself with thousands of pounds of debt.

His decision has paid off, and he is already building a healthy client base of local customers, restaurants and nursery schools.

He said: "Since I opened, the business has grown all the time, and every week has been better than the last.

"It is becoming a real hub of the community."

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