Dinner out with friends motivated a Brighton writer to start a new business.

Out for the evening, Amanda Kasafir was stunned at the number of misspellings on the restaurant menu. The next day, she spent a couple of hours wandering round town on the lookout for spelling mistakes and bizarre grammar.

She said: "Mistakes were easy to spot - price lists, notices, flyers, advertisements - the list was depressingly long!"

Scenting a business opportunity, Amanda and three like-minded friends have set up The Brighton Writing and Editing Centre, offering editing, copy writing and proof-reading services for absolutely anything and everything written, ranging from menus and price lists to web content and technical manuals.

Amanda had spent a number of years working as a technical author, editor and web journalist for some of the City's biggest financial institutions.

She said: "Unfortunately, in the area of sales material and internal company documentation, the same problem exists, only to a far greater extent.

"All too often, companies just don't have the time to do thorough checks on what goes out the door. Mistakes happen all the time."

With Amanda in the new enterprise are: Adrian Mars, an IT journalist who has appeared frequently on TV and radio and currently presents a weekly technology slot on Sky Digital TV, Jane Mallin, former deputy editor of an internet-based business magazine, and Chris Hill, a freelance illustrator and graphics artist who specialises in web design, software presentations and CD cover art.

Amanda explained: "What many people don't fully realise is that accurate grammar and spelling - along with overall coherence and consistency of document content - are essential for clear communication.

"For example, if you want to get a specific sales message across to clients, errors can obscure or even completely change the original meaning with potentially disastrous results.

"Take the sentence 'Our investment trust hands you the keys to financial feedom'.

"Now imagine 5,000 printed copies of a glossy brochure with that misspelt heading title page. An expensive mistake, to say the least."

The company aims to provide clear, accurate communications and creative writing solutions to Sussex-based clients. Potential clients are companies who are either too busy or do not have the internal resources to produce their own copy.

The company will also edit or proof-read existing copy to ensure clear, strong messages do the job they are meant to do first time round.

The Brighton Writing and Editing Centre can be contacted on 01273 329379.