This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly. This week, we spoke to Sarah Ward, owner of Number Thirteen in Knaresborough.  

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

Number Thirteen is a retro-inspired eco-conscious coffee house and cakery on Castlegate in Knaresborough.

What does it require to be successful in business?

I suppose it depends a lot on the business. For us it's taken a lot of support from family, customers and the wider community. I wouldn't even have started it without the support of my family, and without customers and the wider community you can't do anything.

You also need the ability to adapt and, to be honest, a little bit of luck.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

I wouldn't really say it's a 'drive'. I always wanted to own my own coffee shop, and now I've got one, I want to keep it!

I have occasionally considered doing something else, but I've quickly thought, 'No, this is what I want to do'. Thinking about working on somebody else's time and on somebody else's dime is not very attractive.

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

The first is the cost of living – energy costs and the prices of ingredients have increased a lot. 

Added to that, the UK is one of the few places in Europe that charges such a high rate of VAT, and it's charged on turnover, not profits.

I opened a second place last April but had to close by September, simply because of the high costs of running it. Shutting it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

I love the fact that there are so many independents in Knaresborough, and many of them are female-led. There's Laura [Dudley] at Painting Pots, Diane [Watson] at Knitting Pretty and Kelly [Teggin] at Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty – and that's just on Castlegate.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

Knaresborough Business Collective gets so involved, and organisers Annie [Wilkinson-Gill] and Natalie [Horner] are so inspirational. They both own shops but still find time to organise the Knaresborough Business Awards, which will be held on August 17.

Knaresborough and District Chamber has always been there and is a big advocate of Knaresborough as a whole.

What could be done locally to boost business?

There's been a lot of talk recently about improving parking and public transport in the town. If I had a magic wand I'd love to have a land-train connecting Knaresborough's car-parks with the high street, taking people up and down the hill so they wouldn't have to choose between the upper and lower parts of town. It would make it a lot easier for people with mobility issues or parents with buggies to get about.

Best and worst things about running a business from Knaresborough?

Living in New Zealand in 2016, I decided I wanted to open a coffee shop. I could have opened it in Sheffield, where I'd been living before, but I chose Knaresborough, where my family lived, because it's so beautiful – it's one of the most beautiful towns in the country. That's why people visit here, and they help businesses like mine immensely.

Worst thing? I can't think of one – we love it here!

What are your business plans for the future?

I'd love to see us expand again at some point, probably not in Knaresborough, but in a different town. Or perhaps we could have a converted horse-box and go round the festivals.

But after the closure of our second shop last year, and the toll it took on me personally, I'm happy to carry on as we are for a while. I needed to get that work-life balance back and have some personal time again.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I've got a three-year-old, so usually time off means doing stuff with her, like going to Fountains Abbey or Birchfield Farm.

On the rare occasions that I'm allowed out on my own, I like a vintage rummage at Space in Harrogate, for example, or a good old car-boot sale. But mostly I do kidcentric things these days.

Best place to eat and drink locally?

Two Brothers, without question. They've opened a takeaway which I haven't tried yet, but the restaurant's always been great.

Pre-child, I liked to go to Blind Jack's and Six Poor Folk.

I don't tend to go to other coffee places in Knaresborough – I have my own! – but if I'm in Harrogate I like Fi:k [on Montpellier Gardens, just down from The Ginnel], Bean and Bud [on Commercial Street] and LMDC [on John Street].

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