A NEW business venture is proving just the tonic for enterprising Karen Bell.

The 31-year-old has launched an online trade directory for the pub, club, restaurant and leisure industry to help remove the headache of sourcing from suppliers.

Her business, Inka Business Media, is one of the first web-based firms at Innovator House, in the new e-business centre at the Business and Innovation Centre in Sunderland.

The site now has more than 2,000 suppliers listed, and is receiving more than 3,500 hits a month.

Karen said: "There has never been anything like this before for the North-East leisure industry.

"Virtually anything that a busy leisure industry manager needs to find to run a business is listed and there are also lots of links to other useful and informative sites."

Karen claims suppliers on the site are finding the directory a cost-effective medium for promoting their goods and services, while allowing trade customers to find what they need at the touch of a few buttons.

She is also offering an additional service to local bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants allowing them to register their venues free on the site, and intends developing it further with industry news topics.