The man behind the blend of Yorkshire Tea, Warren Ford, has died aged 90.
Born in Lewisham, South London, on May 16, 1933, Warren went to school in London before leaving aged 16.
He worked at Tetley’s tea as a senior buyer, before being sought at by Victor Wild, who built up Betty’s tea room in Harrogate, in the 1970s.
By 1976 Warren had been appointed as a director of Taylors and the following year, along with Victor, Jonathan Wild and Eddie Hardie, was one of the original ‘gang of four’ responsible for the creation, launch and early success of Yorkshire Tea.
Warren became fundamental in establishing the foundations for the future growth of Yorkshire Tea. He even suggested the colour orange for the packaging, recognising that it was the most unused colour on the tea shelf.
Jonathan Wild remembers that Warren’s ability gave him confidence in the product.
He said:
“Yorkshire Tea took over our lives and compelled us to stretch ourselves beyond the limits of our experience – and inexperience.
“What gave me confidence was belief in ‘The Tea’ and in Warren’s ability. We rode our luck well and tempered our ambition with stealthy patience, but I’m not sure that at any other moment in time – before or since – we could have created something so unique and ultimately so successful as Yorkshire Tea.”
The brand, Taylors Yorkshire Tea, was launched in 1977 and became popular. It received royal warrant in 2009.
Reflecting on the gang of four and the creation of the brand, Warren recalled:
“it was a team effort from the start: Victor’s creativity and prudent financial control, Eddie Hardy’s relationship with supermarkets and determination that we invest in packaging technology, Jonathan’s youthful energy and ambition, and, of course, all the advantages that I brought: an experienced, integrated approach to buying and blending in which we competed to our advantage by selecting rather than collecting our teas.
“It required all these elements to create success.”
Warren Ford died on June 21, 2023.
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The curious case of the Taylors of Harrogate tea that can’t be bought in Harrogate
It is one of Harrogate’s premier brands, known around the world. But it seems even people living in Harrogate can’t get hold of some varieties of tea sold by Taylors of Harrogate.
The company, whose brands include Yorkshire Tea, is part of Bettys and Taylors Group, which dates back more than 100 years.
Children’s author Eirene Watson-Power is one of the company’s many loyal customers. But she had a shock when she returned to the UK after living abroad for four years and couldn’t get hold of Taylor’s of Harrogate Green Tea Earl Grey.
Mother-of-four Ms Watson-Power, who hosts a radio show on Harrogate Community Radio, said she enjoys the taste and health benefits of this green tea variety, adding:
“I live in Harrogate and discovered Taylors of Harrogate Green Tea Earl Grey a while ago in my local Asda. It instantly became my favourite morning cuppa.
“When I moved abroad to the Middle East I was so happy to discover my local shop also stocked this tea. Imagine my surprise when I returned to live in Harrogate and found that nowhere stocked it.
“Even though it’s a local company, if I wanted to drink this particular tea I would have to order it from abroad and pay the additional taxes on top of international postage and packing. This seemed unbelievable to me.”
The elusive blend
The mystery deepened when she visited her local stockists of Taylor’s tea and no one had even heard of Earl Grey green tea.
“How can so much have changed in four years? I wondered, if more places knew it existed and requested it then perhaps Taylor’s would again make green tea Earl Grey available in the UK.
“I am sure many people in Harrogate would appreciate being able to purchase this amazing tea.”
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A Taylors spokesperson said it was lovely to hear how much the customer enjoyed the blend and was sorry she was unable to buy it locally. They added:
“While we do still make Earl Grey green tea, it is part of a range we currently only make for our international market where it sells a lot better than in the UK.
“Sadly, this particular blend simply doesn’t sell well enough for UK retailers to order it from us which is why you won’t see it on the shelves over here anymore.
“We do have a range of Taylors speciality blends available in the UK, including flavoured green teas such as green tea with jasmine, mint or lemon. These are mostly to be found in smaller independent shops, delis and garden centres or through online retailers.”
The spokesperson added the company recommended either this website or this one for ordering Taylors speciality teas.
Business Breakfast: Harrogate mobile company secures Leeds Bradford Airport contractIt’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is after-work drinks at Manahatta, on May 25th at 5:30.
Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
A Harrogate mobile company has secured a contract for communications at Leeds Bradford Ariport.
Mobile Tornado, which is based at Cardale Park, announced the agreement which will see the firm provide push-to-talk over cellular equipment for the airport’s workforce.
The company said the move would help LBA to “improve safety, efficiency and productivity in complex daily operations”.
Luke Wilkinson, global head of sales at Mobile Tornado, said:
“This agreement with one of the UK’s busiest regional airports represents another big vote of confidence in our push-to-talk over cellular platform as an improved radio system for critical communications.”
Damian Ives, chief operating officer at LBA, said:
“Mobile Tornado’s world-leading technologies will help us to manage operations and achieve our ambitions.
“As a regional airport, we plan our development with the local economy, environment and stakeholders in mind and we are delighted to be working with Mobile Tornado, a local company with world-leading technology.”
Bettys and Taylors partners with Woodland Trust
Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate has announced a partnership with the Woodland Trust.
The move will see the company form a tree planting partnership at the trust’s Snaizeholme project in the Yorkshire Dales.
The scheme will see up to 50,000 trees planted as part of the company’s five-year project.
Alice Tollan, sustainable development specialist at Taylors, said:
“As a family business that relies on agriculture for much of our produce, we have a long commitment to protecting our environment.
“Our Trees for Life campaign was launched in 1990 and since then we’ve supported the planting of over seven million trees in both the UK and in tea and coffee growing regions around the world.
“We’re proud to have worked with the Woodland Trust for many years on tree planting initiatives across the UK and we’re pleased to partner together on this latest unique project.”
Pip Greensmith, head of partnerships for the Woodland Trust, added:
“Snaizeholme offers a chance for us to boost biodiversity at a time when the natural world is in crisis.
“Tree planting and habitat restoration will boost the water quality of the river and beck, safeguarding habitats for species such as otter, as well as attracting birds such as herons, grey wagtails, kingfishers and dippers.
“It’s great to see Bettys & Taylors Group invest in nature-based solutions here in the UK.”
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Business Breakfast: Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate wins King’s Award
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.
Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate has won a King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.
The awards programme is presented by His Majesty King Charles III recognises outstanding UK business.
It has four categories including International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.
Garry Nield, international director for Taylors, said:
“We are honoured to have been recognised with this prestigious Award, especially in the year of His Majesty The King’s Coronation.
“Over the last six years the International Team at Taylors has worked extremely hard and showed unwavering commitment to share our Yorkshire passion for top quality tea and coffee with the world, building genuine, lasting relationships along the way.
“We have overcome challenges such as successfully delivering the adaptation of our packaging in advance of Brexit, not to mention the difficulties presented by the covid-19 pandemic.”
Harrogate BID showcases pop-up garden
Harrogate Business Improvement District showcased a pop-up garden at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show this past week.
The garden was on show for the full four days and was made in partnership with Harrogate International Partnerships.
Harrogate BID Manager, Matthew Chapman with BID Project Manager, Jo Caswell at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show with other representatives.
The arrival of a pop-up garden at the Spring Flower Show, marks Harrogate BID’s launch of this year’s Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration, a two-week long campaign which will run from July 12 to August 4.
Harrogate BID Manager, Matthew Chapman said:
“After winning gold in last year’s Yorkshire in Bloom, and now being named as a finalist in this year’s 2023 RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals, we are on a roll in helping the town regain its floral crown and are ready to rise to the challenge!
“Harrogate is famed as a floral town, and over the years has won many accolades. Our floral campaign, delivered by BID Project Manager Jo Caswell, is designed to celebrate our floral heritage and international relations.
“This year’s Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration theme will focus on the international connections our great town has around the world, told through a series of unique displays.”
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Hot Seat: Leading Bettys in turbulent times
The board room at the top of Bettys on Harrogate’s Parliament Street provides panoramic views of the town centre.
Spectacular as they are, it’s impossible not to look down now without a sense of trepidation.
Recession, cost of living crisis, inflation, recruitment problems and energy bills are rarely out the news and you wonder how many of the shops and businesses will still be around in a few months time.
Simon Eyles, a member of the collaborative chief executive at Bettys since June 2016, says it feels like the most challenging time in his career.
“It is a tough time for the High Street and I do worry where things are going. Every retailer needs to be on top of their game in the next six months time.”
Even Bettys? The queue for the flagship tearoom in Harrogate still snakes around the corner but Harrogate’s best-known brand is not immune to the turbulence.
Its latest accounts, published in July, warned of ‘significant trading challenges’ ahead and revealed that although turnover grew by 8.8% in the year to October 31, 2021, operating profit fell by £1.6m to £15.5m.
Mr Eyles says recent accounts are difficult to read because there have been so many one-off costs due to things like covid but accepts these are tough times.
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He quotes ex-boxer Mike Tyson’s famous line that ‘everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth’, adding: “It feels like we have been punched in the mouth a lot recently.” But he remains upbeat.
“I’m an optimistic person because if you were a worrier you would get yourself into a pickle right now.
“There’s an insight we have that says ‘there’s nowhere quite like Bettys’. That’s something I want every single customer to feel when they leave.
“We need to ensure our menus keep changing by doing things like making sure we have the best service, more vegetarian options. We don’t need to reinvent ourselves or have a revolution — it’s about how we carefully and skilfully change.”
Northern roots
Born in Stockton-on Tees and now living near Boroughbridge, Mr Eyles has spent his entire student and working life in the north.
He did business studies at Sheffield Hallam University and subsequently held senior marketing and commercial roles with household brands in the food and retail industry, including Asda, McCain and Lurpak.
A Middlesbrough FC fan and former county tennis player who now plays for Boroughbridge Tennis Club, he joined the Bettys & Taylors Group as marketing director for Taylors of Harrogate in 2011.
In 2016 he transferred to his current role at Bettys, which employs about 1,450 staff at its Starbeck bakery and five tearooms. He says:
“This place grabs you. It has deeper connections, deeper history. It can be a weight to carry knowing how precious and valuable it is.”
Outside Bettys’ flagship tearoom in Harrogate.
Five chief executives
My Eyles is one of five chief executives under Bettys’ unusual collaborative structure. He says:
“I find it a supportive model as the five of us have different perspectives and areas of expertise, meaning that we can make better, rounded balanced decisions.
“We can move at pace when we need to but sometimes it’s better to discuss, listen to each other’s views, in order to make a more informed decision.
“We certainly are not a ‘command and control’ business, as we have all worked in organisations that have this power dynamic and believe that this is a more rounded, considered approach to leadership.”
The leadership isn’t planning any fundamental changes. Bettys will continue to operate five tearooms: Harrogate town centre, RHS Harlow Carr, York, Ilkley and Northallerton. Mr Eyles says:
“We are Yorkshire through and through. There are no plans to open in London or anywhere.”
Harrogate town centre and York are the busiest and attract more tourists for afternoon tea. Harlow Carr, he says, does well on the retail side from people popping in as part of a trip to the RHS gardens whereas Northallerton and Ilkley have loyal local followings seeking tea and cake.
There’s also Bettys’ bakery in Starbeck, which is significantly affected by rising energy costs. My Eyles says:
“We have to work really hard as to how we can absorb those costs.
“You can’t just keep putting prices up, you have to find the right balance and the queues are sign we have got that equation right.”
Christmas build-up begins
September marks the start of Bettys’ build up to Christmas, which is its busiest time of year.
The window displays and products are planned and the Christmas catalogue will soon be published.
Last year’s Christmas window display in Harrogate.
Last year the company reported its highest ever sales figures for a Christmas period. Online sales have doubled since the pandemic.
The premium market Bettys serves is to some extent insulated from the recession but equally many people are more cutting back on treats.
Recruitment remains a major headache, especially for kitchen staff. Brexit, he says, is having a delayed effect and making recruitment harder. It’s also prompted the company to stop trading in Europe:
“We ship a lot to the United States and Australia but the complexities that are involved with shipping to Europe means that we are not doing it because it’s not worth it for us. I don’t think Brexit has done us any favours.”
Bettys was founded in 1919 by Frederick Belmont, of Switzerland, whose family still owns the company. Mr Eyles, who has a 14-year-old daughter and two labradors, says the family is not involved in day-to-day business but are regularly updated and make strategic decisions.
“Bettys will be thriving for years to come. We will have evolved but at the heart of it we will always be a magical experience.
His advice for companies struggling to survive?
“If you freeze and wait for things to settle down, that is a big risk. You need to be proactive.”