Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

One of the UK’s largest commercial horticultural nurseries, Johnsons of Whixley, has changed its name to Johnsons Nurseries following a company rebrand.

The third-generation family business achieved a record sales turnover of £18.8 million in its last financial year and hopes the rebrand will boost its plans for growth. Its website address has also changed, from nurserymen.co.uk to johnsonsnurseries.co.uk.

Graham Richardson, group managing director at Johnsons Nurseries, said:

“We have used the generic term ‘nurserymen’ as part of our branding for years, and it has been an accepted historical collective term that describes the profession and not a deliberate specific reflection on gender within the workforce.

“We are proud of the diversity of our workforce and the contributions that all of our employees make.

“However, we are acutely aware of this being perceived as outdated and intend to phase out the term over time as we introduce our new brand. This is also an opportunity for us to solidify our place in the market and ensure that the quality and reputation of Johnsons’ products are maintained for future generations of our workforce, customers and stakeholders.

“Our values remain the same as we aim to continue the legacy of professionalism and reputation that Mr Johnson and the Richardson family have built.”

Johnsons was founded in 1921 by war veteran Eric Johnson and then purchased by John Richardson in 1964. It now employs 140 people, including 11 family members, at its 150-acre nurseries east of Knaresborough, in the Vale of York.

Industry ‘Oscar’ for car dealership

A Boroughbridge used car dealership has picked up a prestigious accolade at the 2023 Car Dealer Magazine Used Car Awards, which are often described as the Oscars of the motor trade.

Alexanders Prestige, based in Roecliffe, won the Days To Turn trophy, which was awarded by assessors looking for an efficient and well-run sales operation, with cars leaving dealers’ forecourts soon after they arrive. The quick turnaround of a dealer’s stock indicates high levels of pre-sale preparation, fair pricing and good levels of customer care.

James Baggott, editor-in-chief of Car Dealer Magazine, said:

‘‘In judging the Days To Turn award, we collaborated with Auto Trader to find the dealers who are selling their cars the fastest.

‘‘Their data team looked at nearly 13,500 dealers to help us identify the best – with those nominated then subjected to our own rigorous checks and mystery shopping.

‘‘Alexanders Prestige absolutely aced the mystery shopping round, and its online feedback showed countless customers had received similarly impressive levels of service and communication. This is a well-deserved win for the team.’’

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Harrogate marketing agency announces two new hires
• Business Breakfast: Harrogate PR agency joins B Corp ethical elite
• Business Breakfast: Knaresborough chamber meeting brought forward

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

Harrogate estate agent Verity Frearson has won gold at the Best Estate Agent Guide Awards in London.

The EA Masters event is the biggest estate agency leadership conference, exhibition and awards ceremony in the UK, and is attended by more than 1,500 of the leading estate and letting agents and suppliers from across the UK.

Each year, the awards recognise the top talent in the estate agency sector, assessing 15,000 estate and letting agencies across the country. According to a spokesperson, it is the only awards scheme that estate agents don’t pay to enter.

Matthew Stamford, director at Verity Frearson said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Best Agent Guide Award four years in a row.

“The Best Agent Guide is produced by the Property Academy, supported by Rightmove, and is by far the largest and most comprehensive awards scheme in UK agency.

“Winning this puts us in the top 3% of agents in the UK!”

Mr Stamford and fellow director James Verity attended the glittering event held at Battersea Park in London last week.

Mr Verity said:

“Matthew and I were so proud to collect the awards on behalf of our absolutely fantastic team. It’s a testament to all their hard work and dedication to the company and we can’t thank them enough.”

Lawyer up for northern award

Carmelita Ardren, who is head of family at Raworths Solicitors in Harrogate, has been shortlisted for Private Client Lawyer of the Year in the prestigious Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards.

The awards recognise the array of legal talent across the North and are based on The Legal 500’s extensive independent research for its annual directory.

The nomination comes on the back of a raft of inclusions for Raworths’ team members in the latest Legal 500 guide, which describes Raworths’ Family team as “the leading practice in Harrogate”.

Carmelita said:

“I am honoured to be shortlisted for this award and it’s a real testament to every member of the Family team at Raworths, which consistently delivers high-quality client service and a personal approach tailored to each client.”

Raworths provides integrated commercial and private client services and employs more than 70 people at its offices on Station Parade.

The awards will take place on March 13, 2024 at The Royal Armouries in Leeds.

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: LNER orders cleaner new trains
• Business Breakfast: Growth Hub hires Harrogate district business advisers
• Business Breakfast: Yorkshire Events Centre hires new events director

Harrogate Tap has received an award for being named Harrogate district pub of the year by the Campaign for Real Ale.

The pub, which is situated in the restored railway building at Harrogate station, was voted first ahead of more than 150 eligible pubs in the area.

Alan Gould, chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon branch of Camra, said the “beautifully restored” pub had been recognised for its “outstanding quality of beer” and ambience.

Mr Gould said the pub, which won the same award in 2015, consistently served excellent beer. Its open fire also makes it a popular winter destination.

It was chosen ahead of other pubs that sell real ale in and around Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge and Masham.

The Harrogate Tap is owned by Pivovar, which also runs Tapped Leeds, Sheffield Tap, Newcastle Tap and York Tap.

It has 12 lines of real cask ale, including the Tapped Brew Co ales it brews in Sheffield.

The pub serves 12 types of real ale.

Manager Tidgh Collins and previous manager Adam Whiteley received a commemorative certificate from Mr Gould.

It joined 17 other top pubs in the quest to find Yorkshire’s best pub and a place in CAMRA’s national pub of the year competition. However, that accolade went to the Beer Engine in Skipton.

Read more:

• Sneak Peek: The Knaresborough Inn boosts town’s flourishing hospitality appeal
• Rossett School in Harrogate joins Red Kite academy

The Track and Sleeper pub in Knaresborough has won the award for best newcomer awarded by the Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA branch.

The pub opened on Knaresborough train station’s platform two in 2021.

Renovations to the building earned the pub an urban heritage award from the National Railway Heritage Award scheme. Now the Campaign for Real Ale, which promotes real ales and cider, has also recognised its efforts.

Alan Gould, chairman of Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA, praised father and son duo Phil and Cameron Paling for navigating difficult trading conditions.

Alan Gould (centre) presents the award.

Mr Gould said:

“The award recognises the risks taken in establishing a new business especially in hospitality but the bar must serve cask beer of a consistent good quality to be considered.

“A number of newer venues in the Harrogate area don’t meet that criterion as they don’t serve any cask beer.”

Phil runs the family’s Mexborough brewery while Cameron manages the bar as well as another pub in Swinton.

Mr Gould also alluded to the idea of a new Rail Ale Trail – when pubs across a certain train line create a pub crawl with participants travelling between the stops on a train.

He suggested a Leeds to York trail could be created as a number of pubs have now opened along this route. The Track and Sleeper would definitely be an important stop on this possible route.

CAMRA has also recently given a number of awards to other pubs in the area. These include: Major Toms for Cider Pub of the Year and Club of the Year going to the Oatlands.

Read more:

• A-ha’s sound man opens record shop and bar in Harrogate
• Brew Bar owner opens new Harrogate coffee shop

 St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church in Ripon has received a £4,000 boost from the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT).

The award, which will go towards the restoration of the three altars at the eastern end of its nave and aisles, comes just weeks after the Grade II* listed building was attacked by vandals who damaged leaded windows.

St Wilfrid’s, in Coltsgate Hill, was built in 1862 and is recognised as one of the finest parish churches in England, featuring ornate reredos screens designed by the renowned  Victorian church architect Edward Pugin.

Parishioner Barrie Price, who chairs the restoration appeal, said:

“We were delighted to receive this grant from the YHCT. The church opened its doors over 160 years ago and continues to be a special place for all who visit.

“Preserving this Yorkshire jewel for future generations is a daunting task, but with the help and support from organisations like to the YHCT, and the fundraising efforts of the local community, we are able to undertake the much-needed restoration works.”

Tom Ramsden, chair of the YHCT said:

“As well as being a place of worship, many of Yorkshire’s churches and chapels provide much needed support services to the local community.

“Many parishes face severe challenges in keeping their buildings open and in good repair, but thanks to the generosity of our friends and donors, we are delighted to be able to help preserve these wonderful historic buildings and help secure their future”.

In summer 2021, St Wilfrid’s reopened following the first phase of a £500,000 restoration, which took two years and was held up by the covid 19 pandemic.

The money for the the work was raised by churchgoers, supported by awards from trusts and boosted by a £75,000 grant from Historic England.

In 2022, YHCT awarded £93,000 to 24 places of worship across Yorkshire. Grants continue to be available for urgent repairs, restoration and maintenance to churches of any Christian denomination, including feasibility studies to help churches develop longer term projects.

A Harrogate craft beer bar has been named Pub of the Year not for its real ale — but for its real cider. 

Major Tom’s Social in The Ginnel was awarded the title by the local branch of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) due to the quality of the cider it serves. 

CAMRA said in a press release that although cider, made from apples, and perry, made from pears, are usually associated with south-west England there are a number of excellent Yorkshire producers, for example in Masham, Thornborough, and Husthwaite.

Lauren Wray, assistant general manager at Major Tom’s Social, said:

“We’re really pleased to receive this award. It’s quite an honour, and it’s a nice asset to the bar.

“We’ve only started focusing more on cider over the last year or two, but it sells really well. We’re obviously best known for our beer, so it was quite a surprise to get an award for our cider.”

According to CAMRA’s definition, real cider is fermented from the whole juice of fresh pressed apples – or pears in the case of perry.

It precludes the common practice of using concentrate or diluted juices to boost strength through the addition of sugar to an unnatural level for storage, before then diluting it with water to the desired alcohol content for sale. 

Alan Gould, chairman of the Harrogate and Ripon branch of CAMRA, said: 

“CAMRA campaigns for a high quality of materials and production methods, whether that’s in beer, cider or perry.

“Major Tom’s sell real cider, and that’s really not very common. They keep it in the right condition and get it from the right sources – small scale, artisanal producers who make craft cider well.”

Read more:

• Harrogate pub wins CAMRA award after one year of opening
• ‘Intimate gem’ Knaresborough pub wins rare award for beer quality
• Beer festival season starts with three-day Henshaws event

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

More than 500 professionals have been in Harrogate for a pest control conference for the first time since early 2020.

PPC Live, hosted by the British Pest Control Association, shared the latest innovations in the industry with visitors from across the UK and Europe.

Held at the Yorkshire Event Centre, it included a demonstration by Brian Leith and Benji the dog, showing how they can identify a bed bug infestation.

Lauren Day, events manager at BPCA said:

“We were delighted to be back in Harrogate and networking with visitors, sponsors and exhibitors from across the industry.

“PPC Live gave visitors the chance to get hands-on with new pest kit, meet the people designing and distributing the latest in pest control technology and of course see interesting demos like Benji the bed bug detection dog in action.”

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Knaresborough pest control company appoints new chief
• Business Breakfast: Knaresborough finance firm makes three new hires

Harrogate firm secures first council wellbeing award

A council-run workplace wellbeing scheme has given the first level of accreditation to a Harrogate business.

Pemco, based in Starbeck’s Spa Lane, signed up to the Workplace Wellbeing Award through the public health team at North Yorkshire County Council.

The scheme gives businesses a framework to ensure staff welfare is made a high priority.

For Pemco, which offers management support and training services to other companies, this has meant hybrid working, modern office facilities, and team-building events. The company has also committed to not contacting staff by email outside working hours.

Holly Astbury, a partner at Pemco and the company’s wellbeing lead, said:

“The award process has been a fantastic opportunity for us to focus on our employees’ health and wellbeing.

“The support from the Workplace Wellbeing team at the council has been invaluable, especially the opportunity to carry out an in-depth health needs assessment, which gave us an insight into our employees’ needs and allowed us to tailor an action plan to suit them, rather than guessing in the dark about which interventions to implement.”

Design lead Andrew Liddle said:

“Flexible working has made a massive difference to mine and my family’s routine. It takes away a huge headache of having to pick the kids up from school before work finishes.

“The monthly team meals are great for us all to catch up together, as well as the social events outside of work like the picnic and quiz night.”

Established in 2010, Pemco currently has a team of seven, and is recruiting as part of its expansion plans.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Global hair and beauty brand, Cloud Nine, has opened two new studios at its Harrogate headquarters, bringing all previously outsourced photo and video shoots in-house.

The beauty company says the aim of the new studio is to develop the creative, commercial and media skills of its team.

The hair and skin stylist area has mirrors and lights with different coloured walls to suit models with different skin tones. There’s also a Green Room designed for the models and guests to relax in before and after each shoot.

CEO Martin Rae, who launched the business with his brother, Gavin, in 2009, said:

“We have created our own studios for two very good reasons. The first is we have a fantastically talented team based within our Harrogate headquarters, who are eager to create their own campaigns, from inception through to execution”.

“And secondly, harnessing the artistic skills of our own people makes perfect business sense, and will benefit us commercially”.

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Knaresborough business group supports Ukraine

A lorry full of of medical equipment, blankets and warm clothing, supplied Knaresborough charity PhysioNet and the town’s Rotary Club, is due to arrive in Ukraine today.

The lorry left Knaresborough five days ago and has made its way to Zaporizhzhia in the South East of Ukraine.

Knaresborough Rotary President and Chairman of Physionet, David Kaye, said:

“This is the sixth PhysioNet consignment for Ukraine. The £6,000 transport costs have been paid for entirely by Rotary in Yorkshire”.

PhysioNet was founded in 2005 by Knaresborough Rotarian Peter Thompson.

It collects and refurbishes discarded mobility and physiotherapy equipment – including wheelchairs, Zimmer frames, crutches and walking sticks – and redistributes it for use by the disabled in developing countries.

PhysioNet and Rotary volunteers gave up their Saturday morning to load the lorry for Zaporizhzhia.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Best Independent Retailer Award, which is sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

This award recognises the work of independent retailers across the Harrogate district that have survived the pandemic and are now tackling a cost-of-living crisis.

These businesses are truly beating the odds to support customers and make the high street work for them.

Companies looking to enter for the Best Independent Retailer Award need to provide information on the challenges your business faced in 2022, what the business did to overcome those challenges and evidence the success the actions had on the sutainability of the business.

Does your business deserve to win the Best Independent Retailer Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023 are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district.

Over the next few weeks we will reveal what our judging panel is looking for when it comes to each of the 10 categories.

Next up is the Sustainable Business Award, which is sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

This award recognises those businesses that have put sustainability at the top of their agenda.

These businesses are helping drive change and leading the way by reducing their impact on the environment.

Companies looking to enter for the Sustainable Business Award need to provide details of the changes the business has made, the impact the changes have had on the business and wide community with any details of any planned changes.

By giving vital recognition to those who have sustainability at the heart of their business, we hope others will follow their example.

Does your business deserve to win the Sustainable Business Award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards? Entries close on January 16. It’s simple and quick, so enter today!

Click here or the banner below to enter for the Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis.