This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly. This week, we heard from Stuart Ross, who with wife Katie owns The Portly Pig in Ripon, which was recently named Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA's Pub of the Year.

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does.

We're a two-floor taproom on Kirkgate in Ripon, selling craft ales, wines, beers and spirits.

We source most of our cask ales locally, from the likes of Hambleton Ales, the Wensleydale Brewery and Roosters, but our craft ales often come from further afield, from as far away as Edinburgh and Cornwall.

What does it take to be successful in business?

Good customer service. It's a cliché, but it really does make all the difference. Just being able to engage with customers, and something as simple as saying hello, is incredibly important.

If you don't look after your customers, someone else will. We want our customers to leave with a smile and come back again, because if they don't, we've lost them.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

The love of it – we both have a passion for what we do. I have a passion for craft ales and working behind the bar, and Katie's so creative – the way the pub looks is entirely down to her eye for detail.

Also, it's our own business, and when it's your own business, it has to succeed.

What’s been the toughest issue your business has had to deal with over the last 12 months?

When we first took it over, we wanted to put our own stamp on the place and we just hoped people would like it, and I think that's been one of the hardest things: not knowing if people would like what we were doing.

Increasing costs are hard too. Beer duty, for example, keeps rising every year, which is not helpful at all. It's very difficult for independent businesses to survive now. It gets harder all the time – the amount of profit you can make is dwindling.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

One of the biggest for me is the Wensleydale Brewery in Leyburn. That's an exceptional company that produces some amazing beers and are always there to help. They helped us a lot when we first opened, and they still always there for us.

There are lots of great businesses in Ripon itself too. What Rebecca [Crallan] has achieved at The GreenHouse [the environmentally friendly home and garden supplies shop on North Street] is fabulous.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

I don't really find any single local leader inspiring, but I admire any independent brewery, especially the ones who supply pubs locally and don't go into the supermarkets. I'm very aware of how hard microbreweries work – I see it every day.

What could be done locally to boost business?

The main thing would be the pedestrianisation of Kirkgate. It's been an ongoing issue for years. Everybody wants it, but it never seems to happen. It's a joke, really – we know it would boost tourism in Ripon.

Best and worst things about running a business from Ripon?

The best thing is the people – they are just fabulous. They've been so welcoming and they know what we're trying to do and have supported us through the hard months.

There aren't many bad things about Ripon, but I suppose things can move slowly at times. Like the pedestrianisation of Kirkgate, for example.

That said, North Yorkshire Council have supported us a lot. They've really helped us with licensing – they're very good at that – and you can always get hold of someone if you need them; the response time is really good.

What are your business plans for the future?

We're looking to do more events, and we've opened up some more rooms, so we've got a little bit bigger.

We invest a lot in our business – in new furniture, new breweries, two new tap lines. We're always investing.

What do you like to do in your time off?

We like to go for walks with our yellow labrador, Cilla, and we like to visit places. Sometimes we go to other pubs – for example, last weekend we went to Bini Brew Co in Ilkley. Taprooms are evolving, so it's good to keep up with market research.

Best places to eat and drink locally?

I would recommend The Storehouse Kitchen. The food is good, the service is great, and it's just a lovely place to go.

But we also like to go to Valentino's, Prima, Mario's and The Old Deanery. In fact, there's not one restaurant in Ripon that I'd say was bad.

To drink, most of the pubs in Ripon are good, and I wouldn't want to single one out.

If you know someone in business in the Harrogate district – including Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Nidderdale – and you'd like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.