This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly. This week, we spoke to Dawn Hartland, owner of Bloomerang, the florist's shop on Boroughbridge High Street.  

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

We sell flowers! We do weddings, funerals, event work, and also sell all kids of other sundries, such as candles, napkins and potted plants.

What does it take to be successful in business?

Hard work and dedication – and long hours, because people don't see what you have to do with the flowers before you sell them.

I trained for five years at Askham Bryan, which is one of the best places in the country for floristry, and left with a City & Guilds Master's Diploma in Professional Floristry. That's the highest level, and that puts me in the top 5% of florists in the UK.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

A Renault Scenic! But really, I've always done this. I worked for West Yorkshire Police for over 17 years, but I'd always helped out in florist's, so when I left the police it was the obvious choice.

We just want to do the job properly and sell good-quality flowers. I get my flowers from a Dutch merchant and wholesaler in Huddersfield, and I pay a little more for them, which means they're a completely different ballgame from what you'll find in the supermarkets.

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

The government keeps putting wages up, and the prices of flowers are going up too. I can't really put my prices up, so I have to think about decreasing my colleague's hours just so I can pay her a wage.

People's spending habits have changed too. We're always at the end of the food chain because we're a luxury item, so sometimes we do struggle to keep afloat.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

There are lots in Boroughbridge! La Tienda is a great little gift shop and Cabello, the hairdressers, is great too. Over Christmas, my colleague couldn't come in to work, so I was alone and couldn't leave the shop. The girls from Cabello kept me supplied with coffees, which was really lovely.

Janey Sharp is a beautician who works alone and is very supportive, and the people at G Craggs, the electrical shop, are always very helpful. It's just a really good community here.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

Boroughbridge Chamber of Trade does quite a lot to promote business in the town, so I'd have to say Sue [Hufton] at Issima [ladieswear and gift shop], Barbara [Hill] at Cabello, and Piers England at Commence Marketing, who are all involved with the Chamber.

What could be done locally to boost business?

One thing a lot of people complain about endlessly is parking, but there is a carpark behind my shop, and other smaller one by the river, so there's space if you look for it. I suppose people just want to be able to park on the High Street.

Boroughbridge is a nice town and we do get people coming through, so it's a question I can't really answer.

Best and worst things about running a business from Boroughbridge?

It's a nice community atmosphere – I'm pleased to come to work here every day.

The worst thing is the weather, but we can't do anything about that!

There are more charity shops here now, so we could do with a few more independents, and we do get a lot of congestion, but other than that, there's nothing negative to say.

What are your business plans for the future?

To retire! We'd like to keep the shop going though, so I'm hoping that Lizzie, who works for me on Mondays, will come and take it over in two or three years' time.

We trained together to the same level, so I know she'll do a good job. That's really important to me – that the standards in the shop are kept high.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I'd like some time off! Most of my time is spent here in the shop, ordering stock or refreshing the window display.

But when I do get some time, I like to walk the dog and travel. My husband's a gliding instructor, so we do that too at Sutton Bank.

Best places to eat and drink locally?

The Tap on the Tutt does excellent food and is somewhere nice to drink. Gilchrist's is lovely for a coffee, as is The Crown – and they give you Maltesers with it there.

Thai @ The Black Bull is great too – it's really excellent food.