Harrogate Spring Water saw sales return to almost pre-pandemic levels last year but still made a loss.
The company, which is owned by French multinational Danone, last week published its latest annual financial report covering the period from December 2020 to December 2021.
During this period, the company reported a turnover of £23m and a gross profit of £6.9m.
However, despite the improved sales figures for 2021, the company still made a loss of £1.3m after costs, expenses and tax.
Bouncing back
The healthy sales figures reflect how the bottled drinking water firm bounced back after its previous report, which covered March 2020 until December 2020, and saw revenue fall sharply.
The decline in 2020 was mainly due to hotels and restaurants that serve its water being closed due to covid.
Turnover in 2021 returned close to its pre-covid figures for 2019/20, when it recorded a turnover of £26.2m in the 12-month period ending March 31 2020.
Harrogate Spring Water declined to make a comment on the accounts.
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- Harrogate Spring Water ‘finalising’ latest expansion plans
The Pinewoods expansion
Meanwhile, Harrogate Spring Water is preparing to submit a new planning application to expand its bottling plant in the Pinewoods.
The company was granted outline planning permission to expand to the west of its existing site in 2016, which meant the principle of development had been established but the details had not been agreed.
The reserved matters application provoked a major backlash due to the loss of trees at Rotary Wood. In January 2021, councillors on the planning committee voted overwhelmingly to reject it— against the wishes of council officers who had recommended approval.
The firm held a consultation on plans for its Rotary Wood site this summer and said it would now provide a further update “in the coming weeks”.
Boroughbridge fashion brand to expand into US and AustraliaBusiness Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Boroughbridge-based online women’s fashion retailer and brand Kit and Kaboodal is set to expand into the United States and Australia.
The company, founded in 2013, has posted a 48% increase in revenue on the same period the previous year, 20% ahead of target.
It’s now on track to surpass its annual target of £8m for the full 2022/23 financial year.
The retailer has now made the decision to trial international expansion and, from this autumn, it will launch specific sites and products in the US and Australia.
Helen Marsden, co-founder and buying director, said:
“We’re a family-run and family-owned business that began by making all our decisions around the kitchen table. Now we’re watching the orders grow daily and we’re reaching entirely new markets and customers.
“We’ve focused on building strong relationships with suppliers and customers and that has helped us navigate some of the most disruptive years in history and come out the other side with a strong business that’s fit for the future.”
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Harrogate district nursery supplies plants to luxury resort
Johnsons of Whixley are supplying plants to The Springs.
Johnsons of Whixley has supplied plants worth £135,000 for a multi-million-pound renovation at the 133-acre The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire.
The plants have been used to enhance the grounds of the Tudor-style hotel building, clubhouse, golf course and spa grounds and most recently used to landscape the modern lodges which include private outdoor areas with hot tubs and landscaped decking.
Johnsons has supplied a large number of hedging, shrubs, herbaceous, trees and grasses with varieties including mixed native hedging elements, Choisya, Geraniums, Heleniums, Hebes, Hydrangeas, Heucheras, Ilex, Lavender, Magnolia, Prunus, Stipa, Taxus, Viburnum and more.
Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, said:
Harrogate clothing firm partners with cafe to help the homeless“We are pleased to be working with Darwin Escapes once again, and are honoured to be their principal plant supplier. It’s great to see our plants adding the finishing touches to this ambitious project, the grounds look fantastic and will certainly entice people to stay.”
HGTE collaborates with BrewBar for Harrogate Homeless Project
Sara Shaw, owner of HGTE clothing, is collaborating with BrewBar cafe in Harrogate to help the homeless.
A portion of the profits raised from the sale of the clothing will go to the Harrogate Homeless Project. The company has already raised over £14,000 for the charity since Christmas 2016.
Ms Shaw explained that the idea of HGTE is to not just to raise funds, but also to raise awareness about homelessness in Harrogate.
“The aim is to support a vital local charity with a quality product that is ethical.
“BrewBar is situated right in the heart of Harrogate, and Simon has such a loyal customer base due to his teams brilliant customer service – I couldn’t say no.”
Simon Somerville-Frost, owner of Brewbar, added:
“In our collaboration we provide a space for Sara’s vision to take place. To see the benefits of these contributions to the community is truly humbling, and we look to continue to give back to the community.”
HGTE started as a one-off, with Ms Shaw printing 25 sweatshirts with the logo. However, it continues to grow, with pieces being posted internationally.
From law graduate to part-owner of Harrogate Family Law: Laura Mounsey
Laura Mounsey who only became a qualified solicitor at Harrogate Family Law in 2019 has now become a partial owner of the firm.
Andrew Meehan, managing director of HFL, said:
“I am delighted to announce that Laura Mounsey is now a part owner and director of Harrogate Family Law. Laura joined HFL in 2015 and will be a key part in taking the firm from strength to strength as it continues to grow.”
Ms Mounsey was awarded the Cohen and Career Guarantee Scholarship at BPP Law school and was recognised with a ‘Safe Pair of Hands’ award for her ability to help people.
Ms Mounsey wrote a series of columns for the Stray Ferret in 2020:
- Laura’s Law: Is your ex weaponising your children?
- Laura’s Law: Leaving an abusive relationship
- Laura’s Law: How to prepare yourself for getting divorced
Provenance Inns wins ‘Best Food Offer’ at Publican Awards 2022
Provenance Inns and Hotels has won a national award for ‘Best Food Offer,’ after being recognised for its consistent, high-quality dishes.
The North Yorkshire based company was up against competitors such as well-known Farmhouse Inns which owns 70 sites across the UK.
Group executive chef, Jason Wardill, said:
“To beat off every other pub company in the UK is testament to our fresh food, and our hard-working chefs who deliver the menu to the same standard every day across all seven sites.”
The company continues to expand across North Yorkshire, having acquired The Coach and Horses in Harrogate last year which it hopes to refurbish.
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Harrogate’s Cloud Nine appoints new marketing manager
Harrogate-based hair and beauty brand Cloud Nine has appointed a new brand and marketing manager.
Laura Proctor has taken up the role, which comes as part of an expansion of the workforce at the company.
Cloud Nine recently appointed a new HR business partner, Beth Daley.
Speaking on her new role, Ms Proctor said:
“Cloud Nine is a brand I am extremely passionate about and I’m thrilled to be joining the team – this is an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to support the brand on its growth journey.”
Harrogate agencies post record quarter
Paul Snape (centre) with (L to R) Caroline Joynson, Susan Reid, Sarah Hone, Richard Lee and Helen Brady.
Media and profile agencies Appeal and GBM posted a record quarter with £175,000 in sales – an increase of 54%.
The Harrogate-based companies, which are sister organisations, have also appointed two new senior consultants to deliver a raft of new projects for a range of firms, from regional software and technology businesses to professional services organisation.
Paul Snape, founder, said:“In 2020, we launched new services, leveraging our media coverage to generate inbound sales leads online for growing SMEs, and that has helped us expand the US work as more and more firms strive to get a foothold in the North American market.”
Ripon’s newest business is another First for Rebecca
Rebecca Crallan will open the doors to The GreenHouse – Ripon’s newest business – at 10am tomorrow..
Ms Crallan, who earned a Double First in biology at Cambridge University, before obtaining her PhD at York, is leaving the world of academia and research work behind her for a brand-new career in retail.
Rebecca Crallan with her environmentally-friendly Miniml refillables range of cleaning products
Latterly based in London, where she worked for four years at Cancer Research UK, she has returned to her native Ripon, to put her scientific know-how into creating the eco and environmentally-friendly indie business.
The Stray Ferret visited 11, North Street yesterday for a sneak peek of the products on offer, and to hear why Ms Crallan decided to launch her venture in the city where she was born and bred.
She said:
“I came up with the idea while working at home during the covid lockdown.
“We’re all aware of reports on how we are damaging our planet, polluting the earth, oceans and air with plastics and gases and causing climate change.
“But those reports all call for action: If we act now we can change the outcome.”
Blankets made from redundant yarns, reduce the amount of material going as waste to landfill
She added:
“My mission is to make it easier for people to choose the greener option. From household chores to home styling and everyday needs to luxury treats.”
The products on sale have been carefully selected and locally sourced to minimise the impact on the environment.
Items on sale have been chosen with eco and environmental considerations top of mind
In addition to a refillables range of eco-friendly cleaning products, Yorkshire-made blankets created from recycled or redundant yarns are on offer.
There are also home and garden goods, locally-produced artisan-made wrapping papers and cards. .
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In setting up the business, Ms Crallan was able to call on the retail expertise of her partner Patricio Maglio.
His day job is at ASDA head office in Leeds and on some nights he is on ceremonial duty, setting the watch on Ripon Market Square, as one of the city’s four hornblowers.
Opening hours for the GreenHouse are between 10am and 4pm from Wednesday to Saturday. .
The shop also sells takeaway coffee, served in biodegradable cups.