Keeping it in the family and a programme of re-investment has helped a Sussex surfing equipment company grow into the biggest in the country.

Ocean Sports, founded in Hove in 1989 by father and son surfers Ray and James Roberts and friend Grant Winter, now draws admiring comments from surfers around the world.

Managing director Ray has plans to expand the business further with the opening of an American-style surfers' restaurant.

The team at Ocean Sports believes it has public opinion behind it for its development of the empty offices next to its shop and warehouse in Kingsway.

Brighton and Hove City Council planning committee meets tomorrow to decide on the project.

Ray, a former builder, said: "We started at the height of the recession and people told us we were taking too big a risk, but we were determined. We were all mad keen surfers and realised there was a big market out there.

"We started to establish a reputation as people who knew what they were talking about. We started offering not only the products but advice and guidance to surfers.

"We were soon sponsoring competitions and competitors and now we have a respected brand. We have the best wet suits in the UK, including our own designs.

"Ocean Sports is a store for surfers run by surfers and our customers appreciate being able to get good advice from experts."

When the company took the building Kingsway, it had been empty for several years and a squatter decided to leave all the taps running as a parting gesture, causing major damage.

The only option for the new owners was to gut the building and start from scratch.

Extra floors have been added and the Ocean Sports shop is now a landmark building at the western end of Kingsway.

Ray said: "We always wanted to give good service at good prices but keeping prices low meant we had to buy in bulk and, to sell the quantities necessary, we would need more shops. But, instead of going along that route, we went into mail order."

That side of the business, Board Riders' Guide, has also grown and now accounts for a third of Ocean Sport's sales.

Ray's wife, Christine, and his daughter, Jo, run the mail order operation. The business now has 15 full-time and ten part-time staff.

"All the family are motivated as shareholders and work here from 7.30am to at least 7.30pm, six days a week. They have the company's interests at heart, want to see the value of the business growing and are proud of it."

The company designs and produces its own catalogue, the Board Riders' Guide, which has become known as the surfers' bible with a circulation of more than 40,000.

Director Grant designs the firm's web site.

The majority of its online business is in the UK but it is receiving orders from Europe and further afield.

Gradually, the mail order business is moving from the printed to the online catalogue and Ray predicts within two years the printed catalogue will have given way completely to the online version.

Ray said: "When Rentokil next door said it was moving, it came at a good time for us. Having the space on top for the restaurant gives us a chance to fulfil a dream.

"I see the restaurant as adding to the surfing atmosphere we have created. It's not meant to be a huge money maker. We want to create a place people will want to come to for a meal.

"It won't be fast food or a full restaurant but somewhere in between for families. We want Ocean Sports to be more than just a surf shop - a whole surfing concept."

If the council gives permission for the restaurant, the top floor will be take on the Art Deco-style look of the surf shop and the name Woody's Diner will appear.

Ray said when the idea for Woody's Diner was originally put to planners they were told the likelihood of permission being granted was very low because it would mean the loss of office space.

But he says he has enlisted the support of the community, councillors and planners who are impressed with the plans for the building.

The team at Ocean Sports is hoping the planning committee will be equally impressed.