It began with a conversation in a North Yorkshire pub - no names, no pack drill - when Tony McGurrin and Tom Watherston discussed the poor state of the glasses in which their drinks were served.

The conversation went something like this: "Would you drink wine from a plastic tumbler?"

The poser triggered a year of extensive research by the two men into the need for good bar/restaurant supplies.

They also quickly found that the potential not just for bar supplies, but also for kitchenware and washroom supplies was endless. They took courses in food hygiene and chemical safety - and then launched YJS Ltd on April 1 this year, using only their personal credit cards to finance the business.

But April fools they weren't. A few months later they now carry more than 1,200 products, have 350 customers, supply to about 60 per cent of pubs, 20 per cent of hotels and 20 per cent of restaurants in York.

So successful are they that they are doubling the size of their unit at the Raylor Centre in James Street, York, taking on two more staff and pitching for the New Business of the Year title in the 2004 Evening Press Business Awards.

Tony, who is managing director, says: "Our passion for our business, coupled with enormous support from York businesses and the quality of our products and services has helped us to leapfrog into being one of the key suppliers in the York area.

"We promise next-day delivery on 90 per cent of our products, we deliver seven days a week and take orders from 8am to 10pm every day. Some of our customers have jokingly referred to us as the 'Gordon Ramsays of catering supplies'."

Updated: 11:07 Friday, September 10, 2004